


The Best Deception

by ihearttvsnark, Sxymami0909



Category: Smallville
Genre: Almost death, Angst and Humor, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Gen, Green Arrow - Freeform, Mentions of tortue, Meta humans, justice league - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-26
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-04-17 09:40:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 86,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4661898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihearttvsnark/pseuds/ihearttvsnark, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sxymami0909/pseuds/Sxymami0909
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver has spent his days traveling with his team shutting down Lex Luthor's 33.1 facilities and rescuing meta-humans from around the world. Chloe Sullivan was ripped from her home in Smallville by someone she trusted only to be experimented on and tortured for almost a year until she was found by Green Arrow and his team. For the past five years since Oliver found her, Chloe has been working by his side helping him and his team of heroes save people like her. But history is finally catching up with her and when the person she cares about most is threatened she makes a decision that will change their lives forever. A Decision she can't ever take back...one Oliver might not be able to forgive. Old enemies return, new allies are made and bonds are broken as Chloe attempts to repair the damage that her choices created.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is AU after season 4. Chloe knows Clark’s secret, but he doesn’t know and she’s never played sidekick to the Blur.

Chloe tossed against the sheets, her body shifting as her head turned against the pillow, her head filling with images she wished she could forget. She felt the cool metal glide across her skin, fear shooting through her seconds before the blade dug deep into her body pulling a loud scream from her lips. She struggled to free herself, the restraints on her wrists and legs, but it only made the searing pain in her stomach worsen. It always happened like this.

Tears streaked down Chloe’s face as she broke down, begging him to stop as she felt another sharp edge against her side. She wanted to go home, but she knew she couldn’t, she wasn’t even sure she knew what home was anymore. She felt like she was suffocating and when another instrument dug into her body she cried out, her eyes slamming shut as she pretended to be anywhere, but where she was.

Chloe knew what he was doing, but she ignored it. Pain tore through her chest and that’s when the restraints loosened and the door boomed open. A young kid was shoved into the room and before she could say or do anything a gun was pointed at him and a loud shot echoed through the room. Chloe screamed loudly as she thrashed against the sheets, a hint of sweat marring her brow as the nightmare took hold of her and refused to let.

Oliver was already on his way down the hall when he heard her scream. He quickened his pace, rushing into her room and turning on the light as he crossed the room to her bed. Chloe was crying as she thrashed from side to side and the pain he saw etched in her features made his heart clench. He knew this time of year was hard for her, but the nightmares were starting even earlier than they normally did. Oliver gripped her shoulders as he sat down on the bed beside her and shook her gently. "Chloe, wake up," he ordered, his voice firm. She continued to thrash against the sheets and he held her a little tighter, trying to keep her still.

"Come on, Sidekick, wake up," Oliver urged. He let go of her shoulders and brought his hand to her face, cupping her cheek as he brushed his thumb over her chin. "Chloe, you're okay. I'm right here. Just open your eyes," he urged.

The warm touch against her cheek and the faint voice helped pull her from sleep. Chloe gasped her eyes jerking open as her body shot up almost knocking into Oliver. A sob was pulled from her throat as she did her best to catch her breath a hint of disorientation filling her. When she met Oliver’s gaze, her eyes were filled with moisture and she clutched his body tightly. Chloe leaned into him, tears sliding down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly.

She could feel his hand moving against her back and it took her a couple of minutes to calm down. Chloe let out a shaky breath, her stomach clenching as she shifted back enough to see him. She pushed some hair out of her face and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I didn’t mean to wake you.” She knew Oliver didn’t care that she woke him up. The memories flashed through her head again and she winced.

"I was already awake and don't apologize," Oliver replied. That was mostly true. Patrol had ran long so he'd only been back for about an hour. After he'd changed out of his uniform, he'd showered and then had gotten into bed, but he'd always been a light sleeper so he'd heard Chloe before she'd started screaming. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked as he reached out and brushed the tears from her face. He knew sometimes she didn't, but he always asked because he knew from experience with trauma that it was best to get it out, even if you didn't really want to.

Chloe let out a puff of air. She sat their quietly for a minute before her voice broke the silence surrounding them. “It was the one with the little boy again.” She said quietly. “God Ollie, he couldn’t have been more than nine years old and they just shot him right in front of me…they wouldn’t let me help him until he was nearly dead and even then it took so much longer because I was hurt.” She whispered, her hand tightening on him as the words left her lips.

Chloe hated this time of year. She couldn’t seem to stop her irrational fears from taking over. Well not irrational, but Lex Luthor was dead. The anniversary of that was coming up to. She no longer had anything to worry about, she was safe and Oliver was there. Chloe let out a shaky breath. “I wish it would just stop.” She said quietly.

"I know, Sidekick," Oliver said as he continued to brush his knuckles gently over her cheek, his other hand resting on her leg. He hated that there wasn't anything else he could do for her when this happened. Years had passed since Chloe had been tortured in the lab, but he knew time didn't always heal everything, no matter what anyone said.

"But you have to remember that you did save that boy and then the team found him and he's fine now," Oliver stressed. "Lex can't hurt him anymore or anyone else and that's because of you," he told her. Chloe had helped them track down so many people and labs because she'd had inside information that Lex had carelessly given her over the years since he'd assumed she'd never leave his labs alive. "Do you want some water?" he asked.

Chloe took a calming breath and nodded. “Some water would be good.” She said softly. She knew Oliver was right, Lex was gone and everyone was safe. But it didn’t stop the nightmares. She didn’t have them often anymore, usually only around this time of year when things were fresh in her head. Even after all these years she couldn’t get over the fact that Lex had been someone she trusted, a _friend_ and when he found out  about her power, all that had changed.

A slight shiver went down her spine and her chest tightened. Thinking about that made her think about her old life in Smallville, before any of this had happened. It had been close to five years since she had stepped foot into the city limits. After Lex took  her she was there for far too long, years even until Oliver found her and she’d been with him ever since.

"Okay," Oliver said. He squeezed her arm as he got up from the bed. "I'll be right back." He moved down the hall quickly toward the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator. He knew Chloe's thoughts had probably shifted to her old life, the one she'd decided not to go back to after the team had rescued her. Oliver knew she'd wanted to protect people at the time, but he also knew there was always going to be a part of her that wondered if she'd made the right choice.

He took the water and headed back to the bedroom, handing it to Chloe and taking his place on the bed beside her once more. "Do you need anything else?" he asked.

Chloe took the water from him and shook her head as she twisted the cap open, “No, I think I’m okay now,” she said before taking a long sip, the cool water soothing her throat. She recapped it and set it on the bedside table beside her before looking up at Oliver. She sent him a tired half smile. “Thanks for always being here Oliver,” she reached out and squeezed his hand lightly. Chloe didn’t know what she would have done without him over the years.

When the team had first rescued her for a while she kept away from all of them including Oliver. She had locked herself in his guest room for days refusing to come out, scared and uncertain around strangers. It took some time, but she had grown close to Oliver and once that happened she went through a phase where she refused to leave his side.

The thought made her laugh now, but at the time she had latched onto the one person she could trust and that had been Oliver. Things were better now; _she_ was better most of the time anyway. She pushed her thoughts away and focused on Oliver. “You probably have to be up soon for work, what time is it?” she asked lightly her heart finally beating at a regular pace in her chest.

Oliver glanced at the clock on her nightstand. "It's a little after three so I've got a few hours. I'm good looking enough without beauty rest," he teased. Oliver knew she always felt bad when nights like this happened, but he'd gone to work on much less sleep. It was part of the double life he led.

"And you don't have to thank me for being here," Oliver reminded her as he reached out and cupped her cheek, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. "You're my best friend, Chloe. If you need me, I'm here. That's the way this works," he reminded her. Oliver knew it had taken Chloe a long time to trust him and grow comfortable around him, but once she had, the two of them had gotten as close as two friends could and he knew she valued that as much as he did.

Chloe’s expression softened and she nodded. “I appreciate that. You definitely get the best friend of the year award,” she joked lightly signaling that she was feeling a bit better. She pursed her lips and hesitated before finally speaking. “Do you think, maybe you’d want to hang out in here for a little bit with me?” Oliver’s presence always seemed to scare the demons away. She felt safe with him. He was the only person she let herself be vulnerable around because Chloe knew he would never take advantage of that. He was there for her just like she was there for him if he ever needed it.

"They should probably just name it after me because I am that awesome," Oliver joked. He shifted on the bed until he was near the headboard and then he stretched out beside her. "I can stay as long as you need me to. If you want, I can tell you some stories about business mergers and contracts and I'll bet you'll be asleep in a few minutes."

Chloe chuckled lightly as she lay back down and tugged the covers over herself before turning on her side. She snuggled into her pillow and smiled, her hand coming up to cover a small yawn. “Go for it Hero,” she teased lightly before relaxing into the mattress, Oliver’s presence making the nightmares seem a lot less scary.

Oliver returned her smile, reaching over to stroke her hair as she got comfortable against the pillows. "Get some sleep, Chloe," he said. "I think I'll start with the story of the energy company and the frustrated hero of our story, who just wants to make the planet a little greener," he teased. Oliver saw her eyes starting to flutter and he knew she'd be asleep soon. He just hoped it was peaceful this time.

 

______

 

Chloe stood in front of the large computer console, her fingers moving quickly across the keys as she tracked Bart’s progress on the screen. His red dot flashed from one and if he map to the other in seconds and she rolled her eyes good naturedly at his inability to follow directions. Bart was the youngest member of Oliver’s team and he always knew how to make her laugh.

The computer beeped and Chloe tilted her head as her eyes fell on the message on the screen. She pressed the earpiece in her ear before dropping her hand back to the keyboard. “Slow down there impulse you’re coming to the door and the grid isn’t down yet I’m still working on get you the code.” She told him and his dot immediately stilled.

“Copy that ‘Licious,” he said as he stood in the long corridor just about ten feet away from the large steel door. His eyes took in the keypad and he sighed. “Tell me again why I had to take point on this mission; we all know computers are Victor’s thing, me I like the exotic missions.” He said with a grin.

Chloe shook her head as the firewalls finally dropped and the password appeared on her screen. “Victor’s out of town with AC until tonight, you know that now stop complaining and put on the thumb print we made for you. The code is 290741,” she told him as she waited for his red dot to start moving. When it did she glanced at the other screen and mapped his way out of the facility. There was a corrupt business owner that had hired someone from Queen Industries to steal some technology, nothing huge, but it was Oliver’s and he wanted it back.

Normally it was something Oliver would do himself, but she knew he had been busy lately between patrol and work so they agreed it was simple enough for Bart to handle on his own. The sound of the younger man’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. “I got it, where to now?” He asked as Chloe scanned the map.

“I’m sending you the floor plans now follow the route marked in green.” She told him as she sent it through. Second’s later Bart’s dot was off the map and Chloe shook her head again. “You good?”

“Never better. I’ll drop the chip off at the penthouse and then I need to hop the border and refuel.”

Chloe chuckled, “You do that, I’ll talk to you later Bart.” She heard him say by before the line went dead. She took the ear piece out of her ear and closed down the blueprints of the facility before opening the regular browser s she could email Oliver and let him know things were taken care of. She paused on the front page, headlines spanning cities across the state and one of them caught her eye.

She hesitated for a second before double clicking on it. _‘The Blur Saves the Day Again’ by Lois Lane_ was scrawled across the top of the page. She glanced over the article her chest tightening as her mind drifted to Clark and Lois. Chloe was so lost in her thoughts she didn’t hear the security system alerting her to the arrival of someone.

Oliver stepped out of the elevator, running his hand through his hair, as he made his way down the short hallway that led to the main room of Watchtower. He'd had a full day of meetings, but he'd decided to take some time to himself on his lunch break and check in with Chloe since all of the team members were running various missions. Oliver didn't particularly like sitting out on the action, but it had to be done sometimes so that he could keep up appearances.

He crossed the room, pausing beside Chloe, whose attention was completely focused on the screen in front of her. He briefly wondered if something was wrong, but she didn't have any mapping screens open. Oliver cleared his throat, sending her a smile when she jumped. "Sorry," he said. "What's got you so involved?" he asked.

Chloe’s heart beat rapidly in her chest as she glanced at Oliver, “You scared me,” she commented before nodding towards the screen. “I was just reading an article, nothing really important,” she said letting her voice trail off. She did her best not to focus on the past and to live in the now with Oliver and the team, but sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder what life was like in Metropolis. Her heart clenched at the thought, but she pushed it down and glanced at Oliver, “I didn’t realize you were stopping by I would have ordered us some lunch.” She told him with a small smile. Chloe knew he was probably checking up on her and even though it wasn’t necessary, she appreciated it.

"Sorry," Oliver said again. "I figured I'd check and see how things were going with the various missions," he said. They both knew he also wanted to check on her after the rough night she'd had, but there was no reason to say that out loud. He glanced at the screen and saw the page for The Daily Planet.

"Your cousin?" he guessed as he leaned a little closer and saw Lois's name on the byline. Oliver placed his hand on Chloe's shoulder and squeezed it gently.

Chloe let out a small sigh knowing there was no use to hide it. Oliver always knew when she wasn’t being exactly honest. She nodded, “Yea, she wrote something about The Blur,” Chloe commented and then pursed her lips. She was silent for a minute before breaking the silence in the room. “Sometimes I miss her,” she said softly.

She hadn’t seen Lois since right before she moved to Smallville when she was thirteen. She was twenty-two now and one would think that with time the pain would ease, but Chloe wasn’t so sure about that. “I can’t believe she’s working for the Daily Planet…You know when I was younger I always wanted to work there. Be some big hot shot reporter.” It had never happened though. Sure she had a column there when she was in high school courtesy of Lionel Luthor, but that all went to hell and then, well Lex happened.

Chloe still remembered the day like it was yesterday. It wasn’t until after she was rescued by Oliver that she found out she’d been declared missing and then dead a year later when she was never found. Something about dental records, she was sure Lex had something to do with that, but that didn’t matter now. Lois, Clark, everyone from her old life, they all thought she was dead and in the close to three years she had been with Oliver, Chloe had never once tried to go back.

Oliver placed his hand over hers on the keyboard. "You know there's a simple way to remedy that," he pointed out. They had this conversation every once in awhile and Chloe usually had the same answer. Oliver knew it was her decision and he would support whatever she chose, but he felt like he would be a bad friend if he didn't remind her that she had another option.

"Lex has been dead for years, Chloe," Oliver pointed out as he brushed his thumb over hers. "He can't hurt your family or friends. You know if you want to go back to your old life, I'd do whatever I could to help you," he said.

Chloe glance at him and she nodded. “I know you could.” She said quietly. “Lex might be dead, but there’s always going to be someone else Oliver.” She knew that wasn’t the whole reason and she knew he knew that. “Plus, I’m not that girl anymore. It’s been years they’ve had time to process me being gone and make peace with it.” She shifted so she was facing him more fully.

“If I show up there will be dozens of questions. What am I supposed to say? How would I make people understand?” She asked her voice tight as her chest constricted. “I can’t go back there. He took me from there, I just,” she paused as she felt anxiety winding in her stomach. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “They’re better off without me.” She said quietly and she honestly wasn’t comfortable going back there

No one had thought twice about her disappearance. No one had so much as looked because if they had they would have known that things didn’t add up. Plus Chloe couldn’t remember a day Oliver hadn’t been by her side in the past three years and a part of her was afraid to step out on her own again, even though she knew that was a ridiculous fear.

"It's your decision, Chloe," Oliver said. "You know I'll support you either way, but you're wrong about one thing. No one is better off without you," he told her matter-of-factly. Even though she'd never said it out loud, Oliver knew it bothered Chloe that people had been so quick to accept that she was dead and not try harder to prove otherwise. He also knew Lex had been thorough, but that wasn't the point.

Oliver squeezed her hand again. "I'm not kicking you out, if that's what you're worried about," he teased, attempting to lighten the mood. "I'd be lost without you and you know it." He was trying to make her feel better, but it was also the truth. Oliver had never had a friend like Chloe before; someone who he could trust so completely with every aspect of his life and still have a good time with.

Chloe smiled and rolled her eyes, “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say,” she teased before glancing at the computer screen and closing out the window. There was no need to look back. She had a new life and she was happy right where she was. She turned around and shifted away from the computer making her way across the room towards the kitchen to grab some ore coffee. “I was just about to email you to let you know that Victor and AC are on their way back from Russia they should be in later tonight and Bart got back the chip, it should be at the penthouse when we get there.” She said matter-of-factly while filling up her mug.

"Good," Oliver replied. He was still pissed that someone had stolen it right out from under his nose. That was not okay. "I assume everything went well in Russia?" he asked. The mission had been fairly straightforward so he wasn't surprised the guys had managed to finish in two days.

Chloe arched an eyebrow as she took a sip of her coffee and then made her way back into the main part of the room. “Of course, you would have known if anything went wrong,” she told him as she paused in front of him and took another sip of her coffee. She watched Oliver for a minute and tilted her head to the side. “How was your day? Is everything okay with you?” She asked as she took in how tired he looked.

"Yeah, it's just been busy and a lot of people have been yelling at me." His lips curved into a perfect pout that he would never admit that he made if his life depended on it. "I wish they'd just acknowledge that I was right and know how to run the company. It would make my life a hell of a lot easier," he said.

Chloe’s expression softened and she bit her lower lip to keep from laughing. Over the years she had found that it was best to humor Oliver when he pouts instead of mocking him. She closed the distance between them and sat beside him letting her hand fall to his leg. She patted him. “You poor baby, how could they not know that you’re always right?” She asked as she did her best to keep the humor out of her voice. “How about I take you out to lunch Hero?”

Oliver arched an eyebrow. He knew she was only pretending to humor him while she did her best not to laugh at him, but he didn't care. At least she was being nice to him, which was more than he could say for anyone else who he'd interacted with that afternoon. "I suppose I can squeeze you into my busy schedule, but only because there's food involved. I'm channeling Bart today," he teased.

Chloe ‘hmphed’, “Please if you were channeling Bart you would fit me in just because,” she said lightly. “He’s always willing to spend time with me when certain billionaires are neglecting my wonderful company,” she joked as she stood and took another quick sip of her coffee. “Any chance I can convince you to go to that small restaurant by the docks that I like?” She asked as she put her mug down and grabbed her purse.

"I can probably be talked into that," Oliver agreed as he pulled out his car keys while he waited for her to get the rest of her stuff. "And when have I ever neglected you? That's hurtful, Sidekick," he said, sending another pout in her direction, even though he knew she was kidding. 

Chloe sighed as she turned to face him noticing the prominent pout on his face. She closed the distance between them and linked their arms together. “That pout of yours should be illegal.” She told him before tugging him towards the door, “You’re the best friend a girl could have, feeling better?” She asked cheekily as they made their way out the door and towards the elevator.

Oliver grinned. "That's all you had to say. A guy likes to know his best friend appreciates him." He winked at her as he pressed the button for the elevator. "That goes both ways, you know," he added. "Now, let's go to that restaurant you like so much so I can get back to my afternoon of people yelling at me." Oliver was glad to see that Chloe's mood was improving. That's what he'd been going for. He knew this time of year was tough on her and he wanted to do whatever he could to take her mind off things.

 

______

 

Lois sat at the kitchen table, tapping her fingers absently as she stared out the window at the farm. It was a little after six and the sun was starting to set and everything was so peaceful. She wiped a silent tear from the corner of her eye and swallowed hard. She wasn't sure this day was ever going to get easier for her and she wasn't sure she wanted it to. Her heart was heavy as she thought about her cousin and how close they'd been as kids. They hadn't played with dolls like Lucy; instead, they'd had mystery parties and solved cases that they made up that were always a lot more intriguing than a game of Clue.

Another tear slipped down her cheek, but she didn't bother batting that one away. Lois took a few deep breaths, doing her best to get her emotions under control. There was nothing she could do to change the past so at this point, all she could do was focus on the happy memories and the fact that at least her cousin wasn't suffering anymore. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even feel the gush of wind as Clark swept into the room.

Clark dusted his hands off on his suit and glanced up frowning when he didn't see Lois right away. He was about to call out her name when he spotted her near the window. His chest tightened and he swallowed hard. He could see that something was wrong by her posture, but he didn't need to ask what it was.  
  
Chloe. His heart clenched. He knew what today was. It was part of the reason he'd gone around saving probably twice as many people as he normally did. Clark knew it wouldn't help, no matter how many people he saved it wouldn't bring Chloe back.  
  
He had know her for four years and he knew how she tended to get in trouble. He should have kept a better eye on her, he should have searched for her longer. Clark knew Lois had. Long after the search that Lex had helped him, Lana, and Pete put together had ended Lois was out there. But he hadn't been able to do it. After each failed attempt the guilt had gotten worse until he couldn't bring himself to go out and search anymore.  
  
Clark pulled himself from his thoughts and walked quietly over to Lois. He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently and he bent down and pressed his lips against the side of her head. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hi honey," Lois said as she turned her head and gave him a small smile. She could see the concern on Clark's face and the familiar guilt. She knew he blamed himself, but Lois didn't. There was nothing anyone could have done. "How'd it go out there?" she asked.

Clark shrugged and glanced away from Lois, his eyes falling on the window where she had been looking. "They went fine," he said keeping his voice light. "Sorry I was gone so much today, did Perry notice?" he asked as his hands kneaded her shoulders lightly.   
  
He still couldn't believe he had been with Lois for close to four years now. So much had happened. It was just something else to add to the list of reason's he owed Chloe. He never would have met Lois if she hadn't come to town in search of her cousin. Guilt filled his chest at the thought and he let out a short breath to try and get rid of that overwhelming feeling of failure that was currently suffocating him.

Lois shook her head as she reached back and placed one of her hands over his on her shoulder. "No, Perry was busy with meetings and tirades all day so you were in the clear." She turned and gave Clark a small smile. "I love you," she said. Lois knew she never would have made it through all this without Clark. He was her everything and she was so grateful to have him in her life.

Clark's expression softened slightly and he reached out and cupped her cheek. "I love you too, Lois." He dipped his head down and captured her lips in a slow kiss drawing it out for a minute before pulling back. He watched her silently for a minute and stroked her cheek. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save her for you," he whispered as his chest tightened. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"Don't do that," Lois said. She gave Clark a stern look as she rubbed her hand over his arm. "This isn't your fault and it never will be. Chloe would never blame you nor would she want you to blame yourself. So please don't," she told him.

Clark nodded, but her words didn't make the guilt in his chest ease. He brushed his thumb over her cheek again and held her gaze. "Why don't we go in the other room. I'll make a fire and some hot chocolate," he said wanting to be close to her for a while.

"I think that sounds like an excellent idea, Smallville," Lois said. She got to her feet and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close for a moment.

Clark returned the hug, holding her tight as he ran his hand up and down her back. "We're going to be okay," he said quietly before pressing a kiss against her hair. "Come on," he said as he finally released her and threaded their fingers together before tugging her towards the living room.


	2. Chapter 2

"All right, Sidekick, which movie am I being subjected to tonight?" Oliver teased as he carried a large bowl of popcorn, a bag of candy and two bottles of water into the living room where Chloe was waiting. He set everything down on the table and sat down on the couch, arching an eyebrow at his friend. "And if you say the words 'romantic comedy' then I'm going to tell AC I want to patrol after all," he added, giving her a mock stern look.

It was Friday night and it had been a long stressful week at Queen Industries. The only good thing about the week was that crime had been kept to a minimum and with the entire team in Star City, Oliver could take the night off without feeling guilty. Chloe had suggested a movie night and he'd agreed to let her pick the first movie.

Chloe arched and eyebrow at him and squinted her eyes in his direction. "You know I wasn't going to pick one, but now that you've declared you don't want to watch one..." She let her voice trail off and sent him a wicked smile before turning back to the entertainment center and digging through things. "But now I think we should watch," she paused as she reached for the DVD, "Friends with Benefits," she teased as she held up the movie. "Or would you prefer Two Weeks Notice?" she asked while trying to keep a straight face.

"You're an evil woman, Chloe Sullivan," Oliver replied. He picked up the bag of candy. "Just for that, you can't have any of this," he told her petulantly, knowing that she was the only one who ate it anyway.

Chloe sat on her knees on the floor and pouted. "But you buy that candy for me." she said making her pout more pronounced. "You don't eat it so if you won't let me have it, it will go to waste and i'll be sad." she told him with a dramatic sigh. When he just raised an eyebrow at her she sighed and tossed the movie lifting her original pick. "The Hangover then?" she asked with a grin.

Oliver grinned. "That's more like it." He tossed the candy back on the table and waited for her to join him on the couch. "You never finished telling me how things went with Vic today. Did you get everything you needed for that Seattle job?" he asked as he leaned forward and grabbed one of the water bottles he'd set down.

Chloe popped in the movie, pushed herself off the ground and grabbed the candy off the table on her way to the couch. "Candy kidnapper," she said before popping down next to him making the cushions bounce lightly.   
  
She pulled her legs up and crossed them Indian style as she tilted her body in his direction. "Yeah, we got everything we needed and you guys are all set for the mission." she said with a grin.  
  
"Victor and AC picked me up some coffee from Russia," she said brightly as she ripped open the bag of candy. The movie started up in the background with previews, but she didn't turn. "I unloaded everything to the server, so we're good to go," she told him lightly.

"I've been called a lot of names in my life, but that's a new one," Oliver said. He took a sip of water. "We're not going to have anymore room in the cabinets if they keep picking you up coffee," he pointed out, even though he knew none of the guys would ever stop and Chloe wouldn't ask them to. She was way too addicted for that.

"I think I'm going to handle the Seattle mission with Vic tomorrow. I'll have Kevin take us," Oliver said, referring to his pilot. "There's a manufacturing plant that QI is thinking of buying there so I'll use that as a cover for the trip."

Chloe nodded as she opened a piece of candy. "That seems like a good idea, do you want me to tag along?" she asked as she popped the candy into her mouth and glanced at him eyebrow raised.   
  
She knew Oliver had been feeling a bit guilty lately and even a little left out since the team had gone on a few missions without him. She knew how much he hated sending them out without him so Chloe was glad he was able to go with Victor.

"Depends," Oliver said. "Do you want to tag along because you want to help or did you hear 'Seattle' and instantly assume that meant more coffee for you?" he asked.

Chloe bit her lower lip. "I have no idea what you're talking about, of course I want to help." she told him and when he kept looking at her she huffed.   
  
"Fine I want to help and I want to get more coffee. Plus I hear there's this really awesome donut shop that puts like anything and everything on their donuts." She admitted with a sheepish grin. "But I always want to help, you know that."

Oliver shook his head. "Do you know the kind of toxins that are in donuts? Honestly, Chloe," he said as he sent her a reprimanding look that he knew she would ignore. "But yes, you're more than welcome to come and help and eat donuts and drink coffee."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Toxins smoxins," she said before tossing a piece of popcorn at him. "I have a good metabolism, besides it's been a whole week since someone has tried to kill me," she teased lightly. "I'm do for a little running for my life. Just make sure you save me before I sweat too much."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," Oliver said dryly. "Or you could just stop making people want to kill you. Then all of our jobs would be easier," he pointed out as he reached for the popcorn.

Chloe pouted and turned towards the TV. "I don't make people want to kill me. It's not my fault I attract trouble," she grumbled petulantly as she ate another piece of candy.

"Just keep telling yourself that, Sidekick," Oliver said. He smirked as he grabbed a handful of popcorn and turned his attention to the TV. He let himself relax into the couch as the movie started and Oliver had a feeling he'd be asleep before it was over. He was exhausted.

Chloe turned her head in Oliver's direction and sent a mock glare his way. She opened her mouth ready with a comeback when there was a loud bang in the hallway and a gust of wind. Chloe glanced up and her eyes widened. "Oh my god, what happened?" she asked worry in voice as she took in Bart's blood covered clothes.  
  
Bart swallowed hard as he glanced between them his eyes settling on Oliver. "It's AC," he said motioning for them to follow him. "We were stopping an ATM robbery and the guy was part of a gang. We didn't know....they had guns," He said his voice tight as knelt beside AC.  
  
Chloe chest tightened as she moved beside Bart, "God," she said a hint of fear in her voice. "Ollie there's too much blood." She whispered.

"Bart, I need you to go to the lab and get Emil right away," Oliver said as he knelt down beside AC and pressed his finger to his neck to check his pulse. He felt the gust of wind as Bart disappeared, but he didn't pay attention as panic rose in his chest when he couldn't find a pulse. He glanced up at Chloe and saw the fear in her eyes.

Oliver leaned down and listened to AC's breaths. He could tell they were getting shallower. He met Chloe's eyes again. "Even if Bart gets Emil here..." His voice trailed off as he held her gaze, not wanting to say the words. 

Chloe nodded, "I know," she whispered as she glanced away from Oliver. Even if Oliver hadn't said anything, she knew what she had to do. She couldn't let AC die. She shifted forward placing her hand over his wound focusing her energy on him. It only took a few seconds for her body to grow warm as light emanated from her palm enveloping AC's chest.   
  
Chloe sucked in a sharp breath, her hand never moving from him even when her chest felt like it was on fire. Her vision blurred, hey body wavered slightly as she felt her energy being sucked from her body. There was a flash of light briefly surrounding both her and AC and then she gasped for breath, her body falling on the floor next to AC's newly healed body.  
  
Pain tore through her body and her lungs burned. She knew what was happening. The same thing that always happened. She was dying. Her last thought before everything went dark was that she hoped AC was okay.

Oliver checked AC's pulse again and felt it beating steadily beneath his fingertips. He could also see his chest rising and falling and he heard a small groan come from him, but Oliver was already moving toward Chloe. This wasn't the first time she had died for one of them and he knew it wouldn't be the last, but that didn't make it any easier to watch. Oliver checked her pulse and found the smallest hint of one. He knew it would be hours, possibly even a full day before she recovered.

He lifted her into his arms as he saw AC open his eyes and glance around in shock, his hand going straight to his chest. "You should relax," Oliver told him quietly. "Bart will be back any second with Emil. I'm going to take Chloe to her room." He didn't give him a chance to answer before he moved down the hall and set Chloe on her bed.

"You know, Sidekick, every time you do this, it takes like ten years off my life, but I know you don't care because you need to be all noble and selfless," Oliver said with a dramatic sigh as he pulled the covers up around her body, knowing she always woke up freezing.

"Now the guys are going to want to hang out here all weekend and watch TV and play games and basically just annoy the hell out of me and you get to sleep the whole thing off. I see where your loyalties really lie," Oliver said. He heard commotion in the hallway and figured Bart was back with Emil. He glanced in that direction and then took a seat on the side of Chloe's bed and reached for her hand, figuring the guys would be fine on their own for awhile.

 

______

 

Chloe was cold. Her entire body felt like it was lying under a blanket of ice. She heard a noise and then all at once her chest felt like it was going to burst. Her eyes shot open as she gasped sucking in a sharp breath. Her brain was slightly muddled and her body felt stiff even beneath the soft covers that were wrapped tightly around her body.  
  
She swallowed heavily and sat up very slowly glancing around the room until her eyes fell on Oliver beside her. His head was down, his chin resting on his chest and her heart clenched. Chloe reached out and brushed some of his hair put of the way. "Ollie, Ollie wake up." She said softly wondering how long she was out for this time and if AC was okay.

"Chloe?" Oliver shifted, ignoring the pain that shot through his neck from the weird angle his head had been at when he'd drifted off. He saw Chloe looking at him, concerned, and he fought the urge to roll his eyes. She was always worried about everyone except herself.

He took her hand in his, noting how cold it was as he squeezed it. "Hey Sleeping Beauty," he said. "It's about time you decided to grace us with your presence." Oliver couldn't quite pull off the humor he was going for; he never managed to when she woke up after one of these incidents. All he cared about was making sure that she was all right.

Chloe basked in the warmth of his hand curling her fingers around it as she held his gaze. "I'm fine," she reassured him softly. "How's AC? Was I out long?" She asked as she shifted slightly trying to get the cold out of her body.

Oliver tugged the blanket back around her with his free hand. "AC is fine. He spent a few hours in the water and he was good as new and then proceeded to park himself on the couch for the entire weekend. It's Sunday afternoon," he told her. She'd been out longer this time than the last few, but AC's injuries had been fatal.

Chloe frowned slightly, "That's pretty long," she commented before her expression softened. "They all stayed," she said and at his nod her heart warmed. She wasn't sure what she'd done to have such an amazing group of guys in her life, but they were pretty much the best friends a girl could ask for.  
  
Chloe took a minute to watch Oliver before tilting her head to the side. "Hey," she waited for him to look at her and then she laid a hand on his arm. "I'm fine Ollie, I promise." She said as a shiver went down her spine.

"You're freezing," Oliver countered. But he gave her a genuine smile, happy to have her back. "I know you're fine, Chloe, but that doesn't make this whole thing is any less surreal," he told her. "But now that you're awake, maybe I can get those guys off my couch and we can actually get some work done for a change. Do you need anything?" he asked. Oliver knew Chloe didn't like to make a big deal out of her power so he tried to cater to her wishes, but it wasn't always easy to pretend like her dying in front of him wasn't a big deal. 

Chloe sent him half a smile. Aside from feeling a bit tired a lot cold she pretty much felt good. “Do you think I can borrow a sweater and some sweats?” She asked lightly. “You’re right, I am freezing and since you’re so large your clothes keep me nice and warm,” she teased trying to make the worry she could see in his eyes go away.

Oliver arched an eyebrow at her. "That's cute, Sidekick. Remind me again why I was anxious for you to wake up?" He rolled his eyes even as he squeezed her hand, grateful that she was okay. "I'll be right back. Maybe if you're nice, I'll bring you some of that Russian coffee too," he added as he got to his feet, glancing back at her one more time before he headed for the door. 

Chloe smiled as she watched him go before pushing the covers off and getting up. She walked over to her dresser and rested her hands on it while rolling her neck slightly. Her body still felt cold and she was pretty sure if she didn’t warm up soon parts of her were going to start turning blue, at least that’s what it felt like. She frowned at her face in the mirror. She was still a little pale, but she knew that would go away as soon as she had some food in her.

She couldn’t help wondering about what happened with AC. Bart had said something about gangs, but things had been running smoothly lately and she thought gang activity was down. Chloe pursed her lips, but pushed her thoughts aside as she heard the sound of footsteps making their way towards her room. She made a mental note to look into it later and turned just in time to see Oliver at the door holding clothes in his hand. Chloe smiled, “Thanks Ollie,” she said as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms briefly.

"You're welcome," Oliver said. "I'm going to go talk to the guys and let them know that you're okay. You should probably put in an appearance so they don't storm your room or something," he teased. Oliver moved back toward her and pulled her into a quick hug. "I'm glad you're okay, Sidekick," he said quietly before he let go of her and headed for the door again. 

Chloe watched him go and then quickly changed into the sweater and sweats rolling the pants several times, but leaving the sleeves long. She ran her hand through her hair quickly before making her way out into the hallway. She could already hear the noise from the guys in the living room and she smiled. She paused in the doorway and leaned up against the wall watching them, grin on her face. She could see Oliver knocking Bart’s feet off the table and she couldn’t help the soft chuckle that fell from her throat. “Are you guys giving Ollie a hard time?” She teased.

Victor turned his attention away from the computer and smiled at Chloe. "Welcome back, Chloe," he said. There was a crash near the coffee table and he turned his head to see Bart and AC both scrambling around Oliver as they rushed to hug Chloe. Victor rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the computer.

"That's fine, guys. I'll clean up the mess," Oliver muttered. But he couldn't help smiling, even as he bent down to pick up the stuff Bart and AC had knocked over. He knew Chloe would be happy that they were happy to see her.

Chloe let out an ‘oof’ and then chuckled as AC and Bart both practically tackled her. “I missed you guys too,” she said as she hugged them back.

Bart pulled back and he grinned. “I got you more coffee,” he said proudly as he bounced on the balls of his feet.

Chloe sent him a warm smile, “Thanks Bart,” she said lightly before glancing at AC, “And how are you feeling?” She asked concern on her face.

"Good as new," AC replied. "Thank you, Chloe," he said, holding up his hand when he saw her open her mouth. "I know you're going to say it was nothing, but you saved my life and that's pretty amazing if you ask me. So thank you," he said again.

Chloe smiled warmly and reached out to squeeze his arm lightly. "Any time." She said softly before her attention was drawn to Bart who was zipping back and forth around her. She arched an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" She asked amusement in her voice.  
  
Bart paused in front of her and grinned. "We're happy you're awake, we've been waiting all weekend." He admitted. "You hungry 'licious? I can run and get you food, maybe some coffee or a cupcake even." He grinned.  
  
Chloe blinked the younger mans energy making her feel tired for him. "Sure Bart, how about a cup-" she didn't even get a chance to finish before he was gone in a gust of wind. Chloe motioned for AC to follow her as she moved into the room pausing beside Oliver. "I'm sorry you guys had to waste your whole weekend here." She said lightly.

"It wasn't a waste," Victor said as he finished what he was doing and disconnected himself from the computer. "I got plenty of work done while these idiots sat around doing nothing. I wasn't including you," he added when Oliver shot him a dirty look. "But we should probably get to the airport," he said, glancing at AC.

He nodded and turned back to Chloe, giving her another hug. "It's good to see you up and around," AC said. His gaze shifted to Oliver. "Do you have any last minute changes for us?" he asked.

Oliver shook his head. "Just get in and get out and follow the protcol Victor and I set up based on everything Chloe found. This should be an easy one, but if you need backup, call me and I'll send Bart," he said.

Chloe glanced at Oliver, "Oh, the Seattle mission," she said with a frown. "Ollie if you need to go with the guys I can help from here." She told him not wanting him to think he had to stay with her. She dint think she was up for the trip at the moment, but she didn't want to stop Oliver from going.  
  
There was a gust of wind and Bart appeared with large box of cupcakes. "I'm back bearing sweets!" He paused and glanced between everyone before arching an eyebrow. "What's I miss?"

"Vic and AC are going to leave for Seattle," Oliver told Bart before he turned to Chloe. "I'm going to stay here and let AC take point on this one since he'll be going to Alaska when it's finished," he explained. Oliver had re-planned the mission after what happened, not only so he could stay with Chloe, but he knew AC needed to get back out there after what had happened. He needed a confidence boost and he always worked well with Victor.

Chloe tilted her head, "Oh, okay," she said lightly as she gave the guys half a smile. Bart put the box of cupcakes down and nodded.  
  
"I guess I should head out too then." he said before hugging Chloe again. "See ya Bossman, Fishstick," he patted AC on the back glad he was okay. He'd been worried for a minute. He glanced at Victor and nodded. "I'll be around if you need me," he winked and disappeared in a flash.  
  
Chloe shook her head, smile in her face. "You two be careful," she said to Victor and AC.

"I'll see you guys in a few days," Victor said as he headed for the elevator. He pushed the button and waited while AC gave Chloe another hug and then promised Oliver that he wouldn't get arrest before he moved to join him.

"We'll see if he actually keeps that promise this time," Oliver muttered as the two men disappeared into the elevator. He glanced back at Chloe. "What about you, Sidekick? Do you need anything or want some food that's not cupcakes?" he asked.

Chloe glanced at Oliver and nodded. "Actually I think some food would be good. Do we have any chicken?" She asked as she arched an eyebrow at him feeling slightly more awake now. She was still a little cold, but it wasn't nearly as bad as when she first woke up.

Oliver nodded. "I sent Bart to this store when he was annoying me this morning so we're pretty well stocked on everything." He gestured toward the computer. "If you want to read the full incident report from the other day, Victor has everything filed." He figured Chloe would probably want to know more about what had happened to AC.

A hint of surprise crossed her face, "It's all unloaded already?" She asked as she walked over to grab her laptop realizing she shouldn't be surprised after all she had been out of it for two days. Chloe lifted it off the desk and followed Oliver into the kitchen. "You know, I thought gang related crime was down she commented as she slid onto one of the stools and pulled open her computer starting it up.

"We thought so too," Oliver said as he grabbed the package of chicken and a pan to sauté it in. "It might have just been a fluke or someone trying to start something. Things have been quiet the past few days, but the police don't have any leads on the suspects," he commented.

Chloe's brows drew together at Oliver's words. That really was strange. When the computer booted up she logged into the system and brought up the information. Chloe glanced over it while Oliver cooked her eyes scanning the reports trying to take everything in.   
  
She was in the process of going through the video footage when something caught her eye. One of the gang members looked vaguely familiar. Chloe pursed her lips and brought up the facial recognition software. "I pulled some video footage from the ATM machine camera, I'm going to run it through the facial recognition software," she said casually.

"Okay," Oliver said. He tried to remember if Victor had said anything about doing that, but he hadn't been paying that much attention to the case while he'd been waiting for Chloe to wake up. He flipped the chicken over and turned down the heat before he grabbed another pan and poured rice into it.

A few minutes later, everything was ready and Oliver placed it on a plate and carried it to the island, setting it down in front of Chloe. Her attention was still on the computer, a look of concentration on her face. "Should I leave you two alone?" he teased.

Chloe's lip twitched in response to his comment. "Maybe you should," she teased right back as she finally glanced at him. "Only one plate?" She asked softly. "You're not going to eat with me?" A small pout formed on her lips as she watched him.

"That pout doesn't work on me, Sullivan," Oliver teased as he slid into the seat beside her. "I had lunch with the guys earlier so I'm not hungry. But I suppose I can hang out with you," he said.

Chloe huffed as she grabbed the fork and shifted her computer slightly focusing on her plate. "You suppose you can hang out with me?" She asked with mock indignation. "Jeez what's a girl gotta do to get some attention around here die or something?" She asked before sending him a sideways glance, humor in her eyes as she bit into a piece of chicken groaning slightly at how good it was.

"That's very cute," Oliver said. "But maybe it's time you came up with a new parlor trick for attention that doesn't involve you being dead for a few days. Just a suggestion," he added.

Chloe arched an eyebrow at his tone as she ate some of her rice. "I'll work on that," she said keeping her tone light. She took another couple of bites of food and then shifted her body so she was facing him. She reached out and rested a hand o his leg. "Ollie you know that I'm fine right?" She asked softly, "We're used to this. It's just part of who I am, I always come back."

"I know that," Oliver said and logically, he did. Chloe had always come back and there had never been any long term effects. But they still didn't know much about her power. Emil had run a few tests once she'd recovered from her fears after being Lex's prisoner, but there was nothing conclusive. There was a part of him that worried one day her luck would run out.

"Maybe I just like having you around," he said, giving her a genuine smile, as he placed his hand over hers. "Now eat before that food I slaved over gets cold."

Chloe grinned and rolled her eyes playfully. "Bossy," she said lightly but shifted and picked up her fork again happily eating her chicken. She knew Oliver worried, but she was going to be just fine.


	3. Chapter 3

Chloe peeled back the wrapper on the Hersey kiss as she made her way down the street a few bags in her hand. She popped the piece of chocolate into her mouth and curled up the paper before tossing it in the bag she was carrying. She shifted her purse on her shoulder and sighed. Chloe was starting to wonder why she thought it would be a good idea to walk to the store. Oliver had given her a hard time mumbling something about it getting dark out, but the weather had just been so nice.

Chloe was starting to think he had been right though, not that she’d tell him that. It was starting to get dark and she still had two more block to go. As she was turning the corner and shifting the bags again she heard a noise behind her causing her to pause briefly. She hesitated and glanced over her shoulder, but nothing was there.

A slight chill went up her spine as a breeze blew by making the bottom of her dress flutter with it. Chloe pursed her lips and continued walking, but this time her pace was slightly faster. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Her eyes briefly darted around the street looking to see if anyone was there, but again nothing.

This was the third time this had happened to her. She could have sworn someone was watching her while she waited in line at her favorite coffee vender a few days back and then another time when she was picking up lunch to bring to Oliver at work. Chloe had looked around then too, but no one was there. It was possible that she was being slightly paranoid, but she’d rather be safe than sorry.

The building wasn’t in eyesight yet, but she knew it would be soon. Chloe dug her phone out of her purse as her heartbeat sped up. She pressed the speed dial for Oliver’s number and shifted the phone so it was between her shoulder and ear as she waited for him to answer.

Oliver was in the middle of sending an email when his phone vibrated across his desk. He paused, glanced over and frowned when he saw Chloe's name on the caller ID. She'd said she was running to the store for a few things and he was surprised she wasn't back already. Oliver grabbed the phone bringing it to his ear and pressing the answer button. "Hey Sidekick, what's up?" he asked.

“Hey Hero, would you mind meeting me downstairs? It’s possible my arms are killing me,” she commented keeping her tone light even as she glanced to her side out of the corner of her eye to once again check if anyone was there. But just like the last two times nothing and it she was being honest with herself it was a little bit creepy.

"I can do that," Oliver said as he got up and moved toward the elevator. "You didn't buy extra coffee, did you? I meant what I said about the cabinets overflowing," he joked. Oliver stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. It seemed a little odd that Chloe was asking for help, but he figured maybe she had bought more stuff than she'd planned. 

Chloe let out a breathless laugh and quickened her pace again. “No, I didn’t buy anymore coffee,” She said swallowing heavily not sure why she was getting so worked up. She glanced behind her again and was about to ask Oliver where he was when she ran smack into something hard with an ‘oomph’. Chloe almost dropped her phone and when she glanced up her heart was thudding loudly in her chest, fear gripping her heart until she saw who she slammed into.

Chloe made a face, “Jeez, Ollie,” she huffed, “Wear a bell.” She said lightly before smiling most of the anxiety leaving her body. “Thanks for coming down.”

"You're welcome," Oliver said. He ended the call, stuffing his phone into his pocket as he reached for some of her bags with his free hand. "And I assumed you saw me since we were talking and you were moving right toward me," he commented, noting that she seemed distracted and a little jumpier than the situation warranted. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Chloe gave him a bright smile. “Of course,” she said as she placed a hand on his arm and tugged him towards the doors. “Let’s go inside. I got you some of that gross power drink stuff you like,” she commented glad to be home. Chloe was already feeling a lot better than she had been when she was out there alone. She was most likely just being silly. There wasn’t anyone following her, she was fine.

"That drink tastes good and it's good for me," Oliver protested, used to her teasing. "You should try something healthy once in awhile, Sidekick. It won't kill you," he told her as they moved inside and walked toward the elevator. This was another discussion that they had all the time, but never agreed on.

Chloe rolled her eyes as they moved into the elevator. “Yeah, yeah, healthy is great.” She said as she pushed the button on the elevator. “So what’s on the agenda for tonight?” She asked lightly as the elevator started moving up to the penthouse.

Oliver shrugged as he shifted to lean against the back wall of the elevator. "My schedule is pretty open until I have to patrol later," he said. AC was still in Alaska and Victor was doing prep work for an upcoming mission so it was just him and Bart handling the patrol. Oliver wasn't concerned though since things had been pretty quiet since AC's attack. He was starting to think it had just been a random incident and they weren't going to have to worry about a gang problem. "What do you want to do tonight, Sidekick?" he asked.

Chloe tilted her head as she glanced at him, “That depends, how do you feel about facials and toe nail painting?” She asked biting the inside of her cheek to keep a straight face. That was the only drawback to living with a man and being the only woman in a group of crime fighting heroes. She didn’t have anyone to do girly things with, which she supposed wasn’t a big deal, but still it would be nice very once in a while.

Oliver sent her a thoughtful look. "Well, I'm a fan of the outcome, but not so much the process. You're on your own with that one," he said, knowing that she was teasing him. "But I'm sure when AC comes back; you could convince him to do a treatment or two by playing the 'I brought you back from the dead' card."

Chloe pouted and sighed dramatically. “You know, you really should be more accommodating. It wouldn’t kill you to paint my toenails while I beautify myself. You’ve got to roll with the punches Oliver, be a man,” she said humor dancing in her eyes as the elevator finally jerked to a stop, the doors sliding open slowly. Chloe moved out of the elevator first and into the apartment once again shifting the bags in her hand.

"I'd rather deal with actual punches," Oliver replied as he followed her out of the elevator and toward the kitchen. "I don't force you to lift weights with me and you have yet to cave on the yoga so this isn't going to happen," he told her matter-of-factly. He set the bags down on the counter and started unpacking them.

Chloe chuckled as she put her bags down next to the ones he put down. “I need a girlfriend,” she commented. “Maybe it’s about time I branch out and start making friends.” She teased as she helped him unpack. “What time do you think you’re going to head out tonight?” She asked lightly. 

Oliver laughed. "I'm sure you could find some female friends if you put your mind to it," he teased as he finished putting everything away. "I should probably head out soon since you're clearly trying to get rid of me." He sent her a mock hurt look before he grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "Are you going to play Watchtower tonight or will you be busy doing your nails?" he asked.

Chloe made a face. “Don’t mock me. Every once in a while I actually need to be a girl.” She said as she arched an eyebrow at him. “When do I ever make you fend for yourself out there when there isn’t an emergency?” She asked as she pushed herself away from the counter. Chloe’s mood was back to being good as she watched Oliver for a minute. “I think I’m going to set up my laptop, I’m not trying to get rid of you, you’re more than welcome to sit with me.” She told him as she moved out of the kitchen and walked towards the living room.

"Stop being so dramatic," Oliver replied, throwing the words she always used against him back at her. "I know you've always got my back," he said as he followed her out of the kitchen. "But our quality time is going to have to wait before Bart starts complaining that he's out there with no backup." He motioned down the hall leading to his equipment room. "I'm going to go change and head out."

Chloe waved him off not even turning around. “Have fun beating up bad guys, be safe and bring home chocolate.” She called as she moved into the living room and sat in front of her computer. She logged into the system and then glanced at the blinking light on her email screen. She frowned. Chloe could have sworn she checked all her mail already on her phone, but it seemed like something hadn’t gone through.

She opened up the email and there was an attachment that looked like some kind of video. She clicked on it so it would download and then minimized the window before pulling things back up so she could guide Oliver around the city.

"Chocolate?" Oliver repeated. "You know I'm going out to fight criminals and keep the city safe, right? But you want me to bring home chocolate? And weren't you just at the store?" They both knew he would do it because she'd asked him to. He shook his head and moved down the hall toward his equipment room to change into his gear.

 

______

 

Chloe bent forward slightly, laughter spilling from her throat as she continued to walk down the street next to Bart. It was early evening and the youngest member of the team had asked her if she wanted to go to the fair that was in town and grab some food. Oliver had been in the middle of working, plus she knew Bart was bored so she said yes and they had spent the last three and a half hours going on rides, playing games and eating the most unhealthy foods.

“You need to stop doing that,” she said in between deep breaths as she tried to control her laughter. Bart had the side of his face painted and he was wearing a hat made out of balloons while dancing down the street next to her.

“Aw, come on ‘Licious don’t make me dance alone,” he said as he tugged Chloe to him and spun her around playfully. He was glad they got to hang out. He didn’t have many friends in town that wouldn’t get him into trouble and he knew Oliver was busy. He released Chloe’s hand a minute later and pulled the bag he was holding off his arm before rummaging through it.

He pulled out a funnel cake and bit into it. “You have a good time?” He asked around his pastry.

Chloe grinned and nodded as she switched her balloon animal into her other hand. “I most definitely did. It’s been way too long since I’ve been to a fair,” she said lightly. There was a cool breeze as they turned the corner and made their way park towards the parking lot where she was parked. Chloe wasn’t sure how she managed to convince Bart to let her drive there, but she was glad she had.

The last thing they needed was for someone to find out about his identity. “Thanks again for this Bart, it was nice to let loose a little,” she commented. Things had been a little weird lately and she still couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that someone was watching her even though apparently no one was. But today had been a good distraction.

Chloe was just about to ask Bart if he thought they should bring some food back for Oliver when there was a sharp sound to her left. Tires squealed against the street and a dark van slid to a stop right in front of them.

Bart immediately moved in front of Chloe not caring that he was using his speed especially since he had no idea what the hell was going on. Three guys in ski masks jumped out and charged them. He slammed his fist into the first guy startling him before shifting to the second and kicking him in the stomach.

The third guy went straight for Chloe and Bart swore as he was grabbed from behind. He quickly evaded his attacker speeding around him and slamming into him from behind.

Chloe could see Bart was busy with the other two men and when the third guy got closer to her she shifted back, but he leapt forward and grabbed her. She dropped her balloon animal but held onto her purse. She slammed her foot into his instep, jabbed her arm back and shoved. He grunted and his hands fell away from her body right as she heard Bart cry out.

Chloe’s head whipped around and her eyes widened as she saw the large knife. She saw Bart use all his strength to slam both men heads first into the side of the van knocking them unconscious. She frantically searched around her purse until her hands closed over her taser and jammed it into the third mans chest right when he came for her again.

He dropped to the ground and Chloe ran over to Bart helping him up as his body sagged. Her chest tightened, her heart beat echoing in her ears. “We need to run,” She whispered frantically trying to ignore the warm liquid she felt against her hands as she pulled him with her down the street. Chloe knew he wasn’t going to make it all the way back to the car so she veered down a side street and kept moving away from the men they’d left behind until Bart practically collapsed in her arms.

Chloe grunted as she pulled him to the corner of an alley, surprised by how heavy someone so small could be. She knelt on the ground next to him and saw him wince. “It’s going to be fine, everything is going to be okay,” she said her hands shaking slightly. Those men had come for her. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she did.

Bart grunted the pain from his side easing as his vision blurred, “Get you home,” he mumbled and watched Chloe shake her head.

“It’s going to be okay,” she repeated as she placed her hand over his wound, blood pooling against her hand. Chloe urged herself to calm down and focus. Minutes later she felt the familiar heat gathering in her body as she channeled the energy into Bart visualizing the wound healing. She gasped as she felt a sharp stab in her body, her breath leaving her as her vision started to blur.

He wasn’t done healing yet, she couldn’t pass out. The pain in her side grew greater, a rush of cold taking over her body as a bright light enveloped them. Bart closed his eyes and it was gone seconds later. He felt something hit the ground next to him and a minute later he sucked in a sharp breath and opened his eyes blinking several times to get his bearings back.

Bart pushed himself into a sitting position slowly and frowned when he glanced around at where they were. His eyes dropped to his side and Chloe’s lifeless body was sprawled on the ground beside him covered in his blood. His stomach turned at the sight. She was pale and when he went to lift her up, her body was cold.

His pushed his thoughts aside and swallowed heavily. He needed to focus and get them back to the penthouse before those guys woke up. Chloe could get her car another time, he thought to himself as he sped to the penthouse. He was there in seconds stumbling slightly into the apartment, his speed giving out on him almost immediately as he tried to right himself. “OLIVER!” his voice echoed loudly through the apartment as he stood there leaning against the wall Chloe’s body in his arms.

Oliver's blood ran cold when he heard Bart shouting for him. The younger man rarely used his first name and he certainly never screamed it through the empty apartment. Oliver got up from his desk and raced down the hall to the living room, stopping when he saw Bart holding an unconscious Chloe. "What the hell happened?" he demanded as he hurried forward and took the petite blonde from the younger man.

As he did, he noticed that Bart's breathing was ragged and his shirt was covered in blood. "Why are you out of breath? Didn't she heal you?" He assumed that was what had happened, but Bart should have been one hundred percent, especially since Chloe was completely still in his arms.

Bart shrugged and shook his head as he pushed himself away from the wall. "I don't know I lost a lot of blood, I think," he paused and let out a shaky breath, "I think I was dying." He said quietly. "But I think she felt it this time, what happened to me." He told him.  
  
"I'm okay just....out of breath. I need some water and food." He said as his eyes wandered over to Chloe a hint of fear in them. "We were attacked Oliver. Three guys in a van and one of them was trying to grab her."

"What?" Oliver snapped as he carried Chloe to the couch and gently set her down. "You're sure they were after her?" he asked as his mind raced, trying to figure out why anyone would be out to get Chloe. She did make a habit of getting involved in things that weren't her business, but she usually did it from behind a computer screen. "You should sit down," he added as he waited for Bart to tell him the rest of the story.

Bart nodded and sat down. He was quiet for a minute as he tried to think of what else happened. "We were coming back from the fair. We got there late so we parked far and we turned the corner and they just pounced." He said a hint of confusion in his voice.  
  
"Two guys jumped me, one went after her. They stabbed me." He paused and swallowed hard, "She used her taser and knocked the guy out and then after I knocked the other two out she had to help me get away." He rubbed his chest. "We ran until I couldn't move anymore." he glanced down guilt filling his chest.

Oliver nodded, his eyes going back to Chloe. It could have just been a random attack, but he wasn't a big believer in coincidences. Oliver knelt down beside the couch and pressed his finger to her neck to check her pulse. It was still weak. He didn't like that Chloe had used her power so close together; she hadn't done that since they'd rescued her from Lex and he knew it was hard on her. "Bart, there's food in the kitchen. You need to get your strength back up," he said.

Bart heard Oliver’s words, but he didn’t move. He hesitated before speaking, “The whole thing seemed kind of weird,” he said cautiously, “Is Chloe going to be okay?” He asked quietly, fear gripping his chest as he stared at the pale blonde lying lifelessly on the couch. Seeing someone like Chloe who was so full of life look like that was unsettling.

"Chloe is going to be fine," Oliver said firmly. There was no other option. He glanced at Bart over his shoulder. "Seriously, go get some food. You need to rebuild up your strength. You know Chloe wouldn't want you to feel bad," he pointed out. Oliver could see that Bart was upset, but he didn't want to scare the younger man with his own concerns.

Bart watched Oliver for a minute before nodding. “You’re right,” he said as he pushed himself off the couch and made his way down the hall veering off toward the kitchen. Oliver was right, Chloe would be fine, she had to.

Oliver watched him go and then turned back to Chloe, reaching out to brush a piece of hair from her forehead. "This isn't funny anymore, Chloe. You need to wake up so we can talk about this." He needed to know if someone was after her or if this had been a random incident. Oliver stood up and lifted Chloe into his arms, moving down the hall toward her room. He hoped this recovery wouldn't take as long as the last one because he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his chest.

 

______

 

Chloe’s body jerked awake, a gasp leaving her throat as she sucked in a sharp breath, panic welling in her chest as she blinked rapidly the light around her startling and confusing her. She made a noise in the back of her throat and her hand slid to her side. She was sore and that was unusual. “Oliver,” she called out softly knowing he didn’t typically leave her alone when things like this happened.

God she hoped Bart was okay. She wasn’t sure if she finished healing him before she passed out. Something wasn’t right who were those people? What did they want from her? Chloe’s head pounded and she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, but stayed still on the bed a chill running up her spine making her shiver.

"I'm right here," Oliver said from his position by the window. He moved closer to the bed, noting that Chloe wasn't moving around as much as she normally did when she woke up. He sat down on the side of her bed and reached for her hand. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he rubbed her fingers, trying to get some circulation going. Her hand was like ice.

Chloe took comfort in his warmth and threaded her fingers through his. “I’m okay, how’s Bart?” She asked her brow creasing with worry as she shifted and paused before moving the rest of the way and leaning against the headboard, the pain in her body starting to ease.

"Bart's fine," Oliver assured her. "He brought you back here, had some food and was as good as new." Oliver studied her for a moment, trying to see if she was still in pain or if she was just disoriented. "Chloe, do you remember what happened in the parking lot?" he asked.

Chloe nodded. “Yes,” she said as she studied Oliver’s face. He seemed to be watching her very closely and she wasn’t sure why. “We were attacked by three men, they hurt Bart, we got away, I healed him and that’s all I remember,” she admitted, “Why, is everything okay?”

"I'm not sure," Oliver said. He shifted back a little, but kept her hand in his. "Bart told me that the men were after you. Did you recognize any of them? Bart didn't really get a good look at anyone and Victor wasn't able to find video footage, but I need to know if you're in trouble, Chloe," he said.

Chloe hesitated. “I don’t know,” she said quietly before sighing. “The past few days I felt like someone might have been watching me, but I thought I was just being paranoid,” she admitted before shifting. “I didn’t recognize the guys.” She ran a hand down her face, “I don’t know why I would be in trouble...I haven’t done anything to draw attention to myself lately.”

"I know," Oliver said. That was the part that worried him. If Chloe hadn't done anything out of the ordinary, that meant there were people after her for some other reason and he wasn't sure what that could be. "Is that why you called me the other day? Did you think someone was following you?" he asked.

Chloe pursed her lips. “Maybe,” she said as she looked away from him and down at her hands. She tugged the covers up more as a chill ran down her spine. “I didn’t tell you because I thought I was just being paranoid. It happens sometimes you know?” She said softly.

Oliver considered that. Chloe wasn't really the type to overreact, but she had been jumpier lately since she'd been having nightmares about everything Lex had done to her. He supposed he could see why she hadn't wanted to say anything or make a big deal out of it. He reached out again, brushing a piece of hair back from her face and resting his hand on her cheek as he held her gaze. "Even if it seems silly, Chloe, you can always come to me. Don't forget that," he said.

Chloe glanced up and nodded. “I know, I just,” she paused, “I didn’t want to worry you needlessly.” She explained as she lifted her arm and ran her hand over her other one lightly. “It’s cold,” she commented. “Was I out long?” She asked as she leaned into the heat of his touch while trying to place the look in his eyes.

Oliver tugged the blanket up around her. "You were out for three days, Chloe," he said quietly. It had been even longer than the last time and he didn't understand it. Bart's injury had been bad, but AC had already been dead when Chloe healed him. There was no reason it should have taken her this long to wake up. "Did you have trouble healing Bart?" he asked.

Chloe frowned and tilted her head to the side. “Yeah,” she said a hint of confusion in her voice. “Something was different. I felt it, like what happened to him. Instead of the weird feeling I usually get when I heal him it felt like someone was stabbing me,” she said, “I wasn’t sure if I healed him all the way because I started to black out before I was finished. I think it was pain...I don’t know. It almost felt like there was something in his system that went into mine when I healed him.” She told him not sure she was explaining it well since she didn’t know what she meant.

"I want to ask you what you think that means, but I know you don't know," Oliver said, frustrated. He hated that this was happening to her and there was no rhyme or reason to it. He pushed the thought aside, not wanting to upset her too much since she'd just woken up. "Do you need anything? Maybe some soup or something?" he suggested.

Chloe nodded, “Sure, maybe it’ll help me warm up.” She said as she started to push the covers away noticing his frustration. “I’ll come with you.” She told him as she dropped her legs to the ground and paused. “You okay?” She asked softly as she placed a hand on his arm.

"I'm fine," Oliver told her. He was physically fine, anyway. But he was worried. Something wasn't adding up and they knew nothing about the men who had attempted to grab Chloe. Now that she was awake again, he wanted to step up patrols and do everything they could to track those people down. But for now, he just wanted to make sure his friend was okay. Oliver wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tugged her against his side. "Come on, Sidekick; let's go see what we can find in the kitchen."

Chloe smiled and pressed a hand against his side. “Sound like a plan Hero,” she said as she moved with him, “Thanks,” her voice was soft and she knew he was going to tell her not to thank him, but it meant a lot to her that he was there. Oliver was a good friend.

 

______

 

"Try again," Oliver ordered as he watched Victor come up against another firewall. He'd been trying to track footage of the day Chloe and Bart had gotten attacked, but he was coming up with dead ends. Oliver refused to believe there was no video surveillance in the area. There were cameras everywhere. "Did you try the ones from the fair?"

"Yes," Victor replied through gritted teeth, doing his best not to snap. He knew why his friend was so upset; Victor was too. Chloe was one of their team members and she was their friend and someone was after her. "Ollie, I want to get these guys as much as you do, but I can't magically make video equipment appear. You know the city had all those cutbacks last year." He studied his friend for a moment and he could see that there was something else that was bothering him. "What's really going on?" he asked.

Oliver glanced at the open office door. Chloe was in her room, taking a nap, but he didn't want to risk that she might overhear what he was about to say. He also knew that he needed to get it off his chest before his head exploded. Oliver closed the door and then turned back to Victor, lowering his voice. "I'm worried about Chloe. Something isn't right with her healing ability. She's been staying unconscious longer, she couldn't fully heal Bart and when she woke up this time, she was really hurting, more than she admitted," he said. Oliver knew Chloe well enough to be able to tell when she was hiding something from him and she'd clearly been in pain.

Victor raised an eyebrow. "Have you talked to her about seeing Emil?" he asked.

"I can't," Oliver replied. He had promised Chloe a long time ago that he would never ask her to let anyone run tests on her. She'd done a few voluntary ones in the past, but he'd seen how traumatic that had been for her and he wouldn't force her to do that again. "We just need to find these guys, Vic, and figure out what they want from her." He knew it had to have something to do with her ability and he couldn't help thinking that if she kept allowing herself to die, sooner or later, she wasn't going to be able to come back and he was not okay with that.

______

 

Chloe studied her laptop screen intently as her fingers moved across the keyboard. Oliver and Victor were in his office talking and she was doing her best to go through all the research she had on what happened when she was with Bart a few days ago.  
  
After going over all the facts it was clear that someone has been following her, but Chloe had no idea who that someone was or what they wanted from her, but a part of her was terrified. She hadn't had to worry about anyone coming after her since Lex and now...well she wondered if maybe he wasn't dead after all.  
  
A shiver went down Chloe's spine as she continue going through surveillance and the information even though she knew Victor had already did all that. She was in the middle of the video from the night she and Bart were attacked when her inbox pinged. Chloe maximized the window and frowned at the email.  
  
There was no subject and she didn't recognize the email. Her stomach fluttered as she slowly moved the mouse over and double clicked on the email. Chloe froze, her blood running cold at the message written on the screen.  
  
_‘I know what you are. Turn yourself over to us or the next person who get hurt will be that billionaire you care about so much and no amount of healing will bring him back. You have one week.’_  
  
Chloe sucked in a sharp breath, her heart slamming against the wall of her chest. AC...Bart...none of it was a coincidence. This was all her fault. Fear surged inside of her quickly followed by anger. There was no way she was going to let someone theater the people she cared about.  
  
Chloe's brain worked a mile a minute as she focus on coming up with a plan. She couldn't tell Oliver. She couldn't risk anything happening to Oliver. He was her best friend and she would never forgive herself. Chloe took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  
  
She knew what she had to do and she knew Oliver and the team wouldn't like it, which was why she wasn't going to tell them. All that mattered was keeping the people she cared about safe, everything else was secondary.


	4. Chapter 4

Chloe took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She glanced down at the bag, put the rolled up cash in one of the pockets and then lifted it over her shoulder. She could do this. She had to do this. She rolled her neck and walked out of her bedroom. She was wearing yoga pants and a tank top and heading to her weekly self defense class.

She glanced around the hallway looking around the apartment, her stomach tightening. Everything was set and in place. It had taken four days to get everything in order, but soon everything would be okay or as okay as it could be.  
  
Chloe paused in front of the elevator and glanced down the hall. Oliver was in his room getting changed. Her heart clenched and she pushed herself forward and got into the elevator. She pushed the button and leaned back against the wall reminding herself she was doing this to protect Oliver and the team, nothing else mattered.  
  
She got to the ground level a couple of minutes later and as she walked out of the building she realized she had forgotten her water. Chloe pulled out her cell phone with shaky hands and pressed the speed dial number for Oliver. She held the phone between her head and shoulder while getting her keys out and waiting for him to answer.

Oliver tossed his suit in the dry cleaning bag and made his way across the room to the dresser, pulling out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He'd had a fairly easy day at work and he'd come home earlier, figuring he could get a few things done around the apartment before he had to head out and patrol. It wasn't like his head was in the corporate game anyway, he thought as he tugged on his clothes. He had more important things to focus on, like who was after Chloe. 

As he finished getting dressed, Oliver heard his phone buzzing from where he'd tossed it on the bed. He crossed the room and picked it up, frowning when he saw Chloe's name on the caller ID. "Are you calling me from your room?" he asked, confused. 

Chloe's chest tightened, but she kept her voice light and she pulled her keys out of her purse. "No, I'm downstairs. I've got my self-defense class tonight, but I forgot a bottle of water." She said as she paused and pointed the keys at the car. "I'm about to get in the car, want to be the best, best friend ever and run a bottle down to me?" She asked keeping her voice even. The pain in her chest was almost overwhelming, but she ignored it.

Oliver sighed dramatically. "I suppose I can do that for you since I am the best friend ever. There really should be a statue in my honor. You should work on that," he teased as he made his way down the hall. He spotted the water bottle on the front table and grabbed it, stepping into the elevator. "I also think you're wasting money on that class. You've got an entire team of heroes who could teach you self-defense moves," he told her. 

Chloe smiled a hint of moisture in her eyes, "You know I don't like bothering you guys. There are more important things for you guys to be doing then teaching me." She told him. "But you're right about one thing, you're my best friend Oliver, I don't know what I'd do without you." She said quietly as she lifted the keyless entry and pointed it at the car.   
  
She got in the car and pushed the key in the ignition, "Ollie..." But Chloe never got a chance to finish her sentence. The second the car started there was a loud explosion. It shook the ground, knocking out the phone as the car lifted off the ground in a ball of fire.

"Chloe? Chloe, what was that?" Oliver demanded. But there was no answer in his ear. He swore, his eyes going to the numbers on the elevator, desperately wishing it would move faster. The second the doors opened, he ran through the lobby and out the front door, only to be greeted by the sight of a flaming car. Chloe's car. "CHLOE!" Oliver shouted. He raced forward just as there was a second explosion and he was thrown backward onto the sidewalk.

The heat from the flames burned his skin and Oliver's hand went over his eyes as he vaguely heard the sounds of sirens in the background. His heartbeat was echoing between his ears and he couldn't seem to catch his breath. He'd heard Chloe getting into the car and that meant...Oliver shook his head, unable to let his mind go there. Chloe wasn't in the car. She couldn't be. She was fine. Chloe was fine. His heart clenched in his chest and pain seemed to radiate through every part of him.

 

______

 

Oliver stood in the elevator, leaning against the wall as he stared blankly at the numbers. He wasn't in any hurry to get back up to the penthouse; he'd been avoiding it for days, but he needed a shower and a change of clothes since he'd run out of spare ones at his office. He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, trying to ignore the tightness in his shoulders, but it wasn't working. It didn't matter anyway. He was immune to pain at this point; he was too numb to feel anything other than the gaping hole that was now his life.

It had only been four days, but in some ways, it felt like so much longer and in others, it didn't seem like it was possible that much time had passed. Every night, Oliver sat in his office, staring out at the sky and seeing the images of the car on fire passing before him over and over again. He couldn't remember what Chloe had been saying to him. He remembered what she'd said about how he was the best friend she'd ever had, but everything after that was a blur. His chest tightened and he felt the familiar sting in his eyes. Some best friend he was, some hero he was. He went out and saved strangers, but the person who mattered most to him had died practically on his doorstep and it was all his fault.

He'd known people were after her. He'd known that she was in danger and he still hadn't done enough to protect her. It wasn't right that she was gone and he was expected to just keep on living like nothing had changed. Everything had changed. His chest was so tight he could barely breathe as the elevator doors opened and he made his way inside. Oliver started to head for the bedroom, but stopped when he heard a noise in the living room. His heart started beating faster and he hurried in that direction, only to find Victor, AC and Bart sitting there, waiting for him. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked.

"We're worried about you," Victor replied. "You've been avoiding all of us for days and we can't let you do that anymore, Ollie," he said. Victor knew how upset Oliver was; they were all upset, but Ollie had been closer to Chloe than anyone. Victor was worried that he was going to go off the rails and do something he couldn't take back. 

AC stood to the side his arms crossed loosely over his chest as he watched Oliver for a minute. When the other man didn’t say anything he swallowed hard and shifted forward. “We all miss her Oliver,” his words were quiet as he glanced briefly at Bart who nodded. “But we can’t keep letting you go down this road.”

Bart pursed his lips. “She wouldn’t want you to be like this,” he told his friend as he slipped his hands into his pockets, his mouth closing promptly when he saw he look on Oliver’s face.

Oliver's jaw ticked as he glared at his friends. "Don't you dare play that card with me," he warned. "I knew Chloe better than anyone and I know what she'd want. She'd want to still be here. But she's not. She's dead and we - I - failed her. Now if you could all just show yourselves out, I have things to do."

Victor shook his head and stepped into Oliver's path before he could move down the hall. "Sorry, Ollie, that's not going to fly," he said matter-of-factly. "You're angry and you feel guilty, I get that. We all get that. We all feel the same way. But that's not going to bring Chloe back. What we need to do is find the people responsible for this. That's what Chloe would want."

"I will find them," Oliver replied. He would track down each and every one of them and make them pay, but he didn't need three babysitters to do that. "You guys need to go," he said again. 

AC stepped next to Victor and shook his head as Bart move to the other side of Victor. “We’re not leaving, we get that you’re hurting, but we’re not going to let you spiral down into that dark place Oliver. We’ll work together as a team and bring these people down.” He said quietly.

Bart nodded. “We all feel guilty, we all want to help.” He said as he met the other man’s gaze. “We need this just as much as you do.” He told him doing his best to not get upset. His chest was tight as he sucked in a deep breath and then let it out slowly. These last few days had been hard on all of them.

Oliver wanted to be angry at them and tell them that they didn't understand, but deep down, he knew they did. Chloe had been important to all of them and he could see through his own anger that they were hurting too. But that didn't mean he had to like any of this. "We are going to spend every spare second we have searching for these people. I don't care if a lead seems far-fetched or small. Someone was targeting her. We assumed it was about her power, but maybe it's something else." He wasn't sure what, but Oliver didn't see why the people who were after her would want to kill her if they were interested in her power.

Victor nodded, relieved to hear Oliver thinking like a leader again. He knew it was probably temporary, but he'd take what he could get at this point. "I've been studying all the video footage from the three incidents. So far, nothing is tying them together, but maybe there's a link in Chloe's past. Maybe Bart or AC could head back to the lab and see if we missed something," he suggested. The building they'd rescued Chloe and several other prisoners from was one of the few they hadn't been able to blow up because it had been in a residential area.

"That's a good idea," Oliver agreed. He turned to Bart. "I want you to sweep that place from top to bottom and when you're finished, do it again," he said. They'd gone over it in the past, but it was possible there was a clue there.

Bart nodded. “I can do that,” he said finally feeling like he had some kind of purpose. He had been sort of floundering around for the past four days not sure what to do with himself. “I can do it right now if you want.” He said as he sent Oliver a questioning look.

"Yes, go now and link up to the com so you can report back to Victor," Oliver said. He turned his attention to AC. "I need you to go do recon on the places where you and Bart were attacked. Look for anything they might have in common that we could have missed, even if it seems really simple. There has to be a clue somewhere." These people were good, but the team had to be better. They owed that to Chloe.

AC nodded, “I’ve got it covered,” he said as he glanced at Bart and nodded his head towards the elevator. The younger man nodded and head for the elevator at regular speed. AC glanced between Oliver and Victor again before pursing his lips. “I’ll let you know the second we find something,” he said as he followed Bart towards the elevator and headed downstairs.

Victor watched them disappear into the elevator and turned back to Oliver. It was good to see that familiar determination in his eyes, even though he knew his friend was still on the edge. "Do you want me to look into anything specific?" he asked. 

"Chloe," Oliver replied. His chest tightened and he forced himself to take a breath. "I need you to look into everything she was working on over the past few months. See if there's someone she might have pissed off that we can connect to this. There's a chance that this wasn't about her power at all. The same rules apply. Even if it seems simple or not important, follow up on anything you find."

"I will," Victor replied. He hesitated, not sure he should say anything else, but they'd always been straight with each other. "I know you don't want to hear this, Ollie, but if Chloe knew you were blaming yourself the way you are, she would be pissed at you. Just keep that in mind," he said before he turned and headed down the hall toward Oliver's office to get started.

Oliver knew he was right. He could practically hear Chloe scolding him and reminding him that there were other people who needed his help and the team's help. He would help them because it was what Chloe would have wanted and it was all Oliver could do for her at this point since he'd failed her so much. That was something he was never going to forgive himself for, no matter what his friends said. 

 

______

 

Victor sighed as he used his internal system to change the screen in front of him. He watched as the new data appeared and he scanned it before changing the screen once more. He'd been sitting behind the computer at Watchtower for nearly three hours and he still wasn't finding what he'd been looking for. He was frustrated and knew he was going to have to start all over again if he couldn't find it.

The lead Bart had found in Vancouver had seemed promising, but Victor was starting to think it was another false alarm. After four months of this, he was used to false alarms, but they still pissed him off. Chloe had been gone four months and they were still no closer to figuring out who had killed her than they had been when they'd started this investigation.

He switched the screen again just as the computer alerted him that there was someone in the elevator. Confused, Victor glanced at the security feed and was surprised to see both Bart and AC standing there. He didn't remember either of them saying they'd be stopping by. Victor really hoped nothing was wrong because he didn't think he could take anymore bad news. He waited for them to enter the main room and raised an eyebrow at his friends. "What's going on?" he asked. 

Bart paused when he saw Victor and then frowned. “Oliver called us and asked us to meet him here.” He said as he made his way into the room and plopped down on one of the desks. He glanced over his shoulder at AC who stopped just inside the doorway. Bart arched an eyebrow, “You just gonna stand there? Or you coming in?” He asked.

AC hesitated. “It’s still weird being here,” he said quietly as he made his way further into the room and paused near Victor. “What are you doing here?”

"Working on the Vancouver files," Victor replied. "Ollie asked you both to meet him here?" he asked. Victor knew that wasn't something they would make up, but it still sounded strange. Oliver hadn't set foot in Watchtower once since Chloe had died. He handled everything from his home office, or usually, his office at Queen Industries. "Did he say why?" he asked.

Bart shook his head. “No idea.” He was quiet for a minute. “I’m worried about him.” He said with a sigh. Things hadn’t been the same since Chloe died. Oliver didn’t laugh and he barely spent any time with the team anymore. Bart knew this was hard on him, but he wasn’t sure how they were supposed to fix things.

AC glanced at Bart and nodded. “I’m worried too Vic,” he shifted on his feet, “But maybe him coming here...Maybe it’s a start to him healing.” He said as he glanced between the other two men even though he didn’t believe his own words. AC was pretty sure this was a loss Oliver would never get over.

Victor didn't really think Oliver was ever going to let himself heal, but he didn't say that. "Maybe you're right," he said quietly. "Maybe..." He cut himself off when he heard footsteps in the hall and turned as Oliver made his way into the room, dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt, his hands stuffed into his pockets. Victor could see that Oliver didn't look good; he was pale and he was clearly uncomfortable being there. "Hey man," he greeted him.

"Hey," Oliver replied. He'd wanted to prove to himself that he could walk into the building again, but he'd ended up sitting in his car for nearly an hour, trying to find the nerve. Even now, all he wanted to do was turn and run away, but he knew he owed the team an explanation for what he was about to do. "Thanks for coming," he said.

Bart turned his head and gave Oliver half a smile. “Hey Bossman,” he said lightly forcing the old nickname to leave his lips. He knew things were always going to be different now, but he could see that Oliver was struggling to be there and he wanted to do whatever he could to ease the tension in his friend.

“It’s good to see you,” AC added his tone relaxed as he sent a smile in Oliver’s direction. It had been a while since he’d seen Oliver and the other man didn’t look any better than the last time he’d seen him.

"It's good to see you guys too," Oliver said. He had missed them, but being around them reminded him of Chloe so it was difficult to just hang out when they weren't in the middle of a mission. "Look, I've never been one to beat around the bush and I'm not going to start now. You guys all know that I'm not okay and there's no need to pretend otherwise. Being here, this building, my apartment, this city, it's all too much for me and I can't do it anymore. I've decided to leave town."

AC frowned. “Leave town? Where are you going?” He asked not liking the sound of Oliver’s plan at all. He understood that his friend was having trouble coping, but this was hard on all of them. If he just took off where did that leave the team?

Bart was quiet for a minute as he glanced at Victor and then back at Oliver. He sighed. “I get it.” He said his tone quiet. “It’s hard being here without ‘Licous.” He said the familiar nickname making his chest tighten.

Victor wasn't sure what to say. He understood why Oliver wanted to leave, but he wasn't sure it was the best idea. He also knew it wasn't his call to make. "I don't suppose there's anything we can say to change your mind," he said.

Oliver shook his head."I know this seems sudden, but I've been thinking about it for awhile. I know you guys were right when you said Chloe would want me to keep going, but I can't do that here. Everything reminds me of her and the fact that I failed her." He held up his hand before they could all start talking at once. "Please don't," he said, knowing they were going to offer reassuring words. He appreciated that they wanted to help, but he didn't want to hear them. 

"I'm going to Metropolis. The satellite branch there needs my attention and maybe I'll finally be able to get a face to face with the infamous Blur," Oliver said, referring to the superhero who regularly saved the day in Kansas. Oliver and Victor had tried to figure out who he was before without having much luck. 

"Metropolis?" Victor repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Ollie, are you sure that's a good idea?" He knew Chloe was originally from there before she'd moved to Smallville and the Luthors had run their business from the city for years until they'd both died, leaving the company in the hands of the board of directors.

"I'm sure," Oliver replied. He understood Victor's concerns, but no matter where he went, he was always going to be thinking about Chloe and finding some way to connect where he was to her. 

“Do you want us to come?” AC asked not liking the thought of living that far from the ocean, but willing to do it if Oliver needed them by his side.

Bart nodded, “Because we will, if you need us…But I’m not flying there,” he tried for a joke to break the tension that was in the room, though lately that was difficult.

Oliver sent him an amused look. "No," he replied. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I know you guys have your own lives and you are needed here. You're welcome to visit though and I will still be around for the missions. It's just time to move," he said, unable to bring himself to say 'on' because he knew he'd never be able to move on.

AC nodded. “Well at least I don’t have to go without water then,” he joked, “Lakes just aren’t the same as the ocean, man.”

Bart chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. “Besides that city is boring as hell,” he sent Oliver a look, “Bossman will fit right in,” he teased glad to see the hint of amusement on his friends face.

"Yeah, leaving is the right decision," Oliver said dryly. He gave them the best smile he could muster. "I appreciate everything you guys have done for me and I still want everyone's main focus to be tracking down the people that were after Chloe. I know we've hit one dead end after another, but they're out there somewhere and we need to find them." He would spend the rest of his life searching for them if he had to, but Oliver was confident they were going to catch a break soon. Their intel had been getting better and sooner or later, these guys were going to slip up. When they did, the team was going to be ready for them.

AC shifted so he was leaning against the side of the mainframe where Victor had been working. “We’ll make sure we stay on top of it,” he said calmly. “Don’t worry Ollie, we’ll find ‘em.” He said a lot more confidently than he felt. They’d been hitting a lot of dead ends, but he knew Oliver wouldn’t give up so eventually they would have to find the people that did this.

"I'm going through the Vancouver data now," Victor said. "I feel like there's something there," he said. Victor wasn't sure why, but his gut told him that he was missing something and he was going to keep looking at it until he figured out exactly what it was. 

Oliver nodded. "I know we will. Thanks, guys," he added as he pointed over his shoulder. "I need to go. But I'm still going to be in the city for a few more days. We'll talk soon," he said. Oliver didn't give anyone a chance to respond before he turned and headed for the door. His chest was tight to the point that he couldn't breathe as memories of Chloe invaded his mind. He needed to get out of there, go back to the apartment and finish making the arrangements to move.


	5. Chapter 5

Oliver was exhausted. Every muscle in his body ached and he was pretty sure he could sleep for a week and still be tired. Then again, he hadn't slept through the night in over a year so he supposed he was due for a lot more than one good night's sleep. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that the mission had been a success. After months of false leads, they'd finally found the break they'd been looking for.

Or Victor had found it; he'd stumbled across the data and managed to take it apart in his system until he had what he needed. It had turned out that the person was another meta-human, someone who had been trapped in Lex's lab at the same time as Chloe before he'd been transferred to a different one. He'd seen what she could do with her powers and he'd wanted to manipulate them. He had his own powers, but his body wasn't strong enough to handle them. Each time he used them, he'd grown weak and had to rest and regroup. 

It had taken every ounce of Oliver's self-control not to tear the guy's head off with his bare hands. But there'd been a voice inside his head, Chloe's, that had whispered that he was better than that and that he was one of the good guys. So Oliver had arranged for him to be locked up in a private hospital under twenty-four hour guard where he could never hurt anyone else again.

The team had dismantled the crew he'd put together and it had been gratifying for about two minutes and then Oliver had resigned himself to the fact that even catching the bad guy wasn't going to bring Chloe back. She was still gone and he was alone, haunted by the memories of their friendship and the fact that he hadn't been able to save her when she'd needed him the most. He would have to live with that regret for the rest of his life.

Oliver slipped his hands into his pockets as he left Queen Industries and started to walk back to his apartment. The sun had set and it was starting to get dark. The streets of Metropolis were fairly quiet and he figured that was because there was rain in the forecast. People always went into hibernation when it rained like they were afraid of melting. But at least he wouldn't have to feel guilty about skipping patrol.

His head wasn't really in the game anyway after being on the road for almost two weeks. He'd had a ton of work to do at the office and he probably could have stayed there for another few hours, but his brain was fired. Oliver turned the corner and a familiar gush of wind blew past him. He expected to see Bart, but it was an entirely different speedster in front of him. "Hey Clark," he said.

Clark paused next to Oliver and smiled. “Hey Oliver, you’re out late tonight.” He commented. He had met Oliver close to nine months ago. The emerald archer had sought him out when he moved to Metropolis and thought their friendship wasn’t immediate, they had grown pretty close over the course of the past several months.

He never would have thought that a billionaire from California would dress up as some kind of vigilante, but that was exactly what he did. Clark knew some kind of tragedy had brought the other man to town, but Oliver had never elaborated on it and out of respect for him Clark never pried even though a part of him was curious what was bad enough to make him start over in a new city.

He shook himself out of his thoughts and cleared his throat. “Lois told me the next time I see you I better invite you out to the farm or I’m in trouble,” he said with a grin, “So this is me officially inviting you to the farm.” He said lightly as he shifted on his feet. “How’d your mission with your team go?”

"It went good and then I had some things to catch up on at the office," Oliver replied. One of life's many ironies was the fact that Clark Kent, Chloe's teenage best friend, had turned out to be the Blur. Oliver had been more than a little stunned by that revelation and he could only imagine what Chloe would have thought if she'd known that and that he was in a serious relationship with her cousin.

Oliver still felt guilty every time he was in the same room as Lois, knowing that he'd had extra years with Chloe and she'd had no idea that her cousin had been alive. He knew it didn't really matter now since Chloe was gone, but it was just one more layer of guilt for his conscience. "How have things been the last two weeks?" he asked.

Oliver and Clark had worked out a system for patrolling and Clark covered for him when he was out of town. He'd explained that he had a mission with the team, but he hadn't gone into any details, other than to say it was something that had been a long time coming and that the people they were after were the worst kind of bad guys. Luckily, Clark hadn't asked too many questions.

Clark shrugged, “They’ve been okay. Nothing too bad,” he said as he walked beside him. “The crime rate seems to be staying at a pretty steady rate, which is good.” He told him while slipping his hands into his pockets. “Lois got a judged disbarred while you were gone. Turns out he was helping run an illegal prostitution ring.” He said while shaking his head.

“Another anonymous tip from Lois’s mystery emailer,” he said lightly. “I’m telling you at this point I’m just curious to see who’s on the other side of the blocked emails,” he said with a laugh, “But as long as they’re helping Lois get stories and us get the bad guys, I won’t complain.” He told him. Usually Clark was very cautious when it came to things like that, but the anonymous tipster had been around for months and nothing bad had come from it so Clark figured it wasn’t a big deal.

Oliver nodded. "It's always good to take help wherever we can get it in our line of work," he said as he gave Clark a tight smile. "I'm glad things haven't been too bad. I'm pretty beat tonight, but I should be back on patrol tomorrow. I don't plan on leaving town anytime in the near future," he added. Oliver figured it was time he finally settled into Metropolis. "And good for Lois," he said. "I'll be sure to look for the story."

Clark watched Oliver for a minute and there was something about his facial expression that made Clark want to ask if the other man was okay, but at the same time he didn’t want to pry. He knew when it came to personal things Oliver was a private person. He nodded and sent the other man a small smile. “Well I should probably finish up my patrol, but we’ll talk soon and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said lightly.

Oliver nodded. He could see that Clark had questions, but he was glad he wasn't asking them. "It was nice to see you, Clark. Say 'hi' to Lois for me and tell her that dinner sounds nice," he said, even though he knew he'd make some excuse to get out of it. "Let me know if you need anything," he added. 

Clark nodded, “I will, have a good night Oliver,” the words were out of his mouth and seconds later he was gone in a gust of wind leaving Oliver alone once again on the side of the road.

"You too," Oliver said, even though Clark was already gone. He continued walking, reaching the clock tower within ten minutes. Oliver typed in his code, let himself in and stood in the elevator, staring blankly at the numbers as the box climbed to the penthouse. Once he reached the top floor, Oliver walked into the apartment, dropped his phone and jacket on the desk and immediately walked to the wet bar, pouring himself a generous glass of scotch. Oliver took it and moved to stand in front of the balcony doors, letting out a quiet sigh as he leaned forward and rested his head against the glass, closing his eyes and feeling exhaustion in every part of him.

She swallowed heavily, her heartbeat picking up speed as she watched him from her seat on the chair. He had walked right by her in the darkened room without even realizing it. She had been there for close to an hour, but even with all of that preparation seeing him again was like a shock to her system. She’d been waiting for this moment for way too long. Oliver looked tired and her chest tightened at the heavy sag in his shoulders. A year had been too long without seeing him. She hadn’t realized how hard it would be to stay away for as long as she had, but none of that mattered anymore because she was back and she wasn’t going to leave again.

She hesitated before pushing herself off the chair and taking a step forward. She fidgeted with her fingers, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, ignoring her racing pulse. “Oliver,” she said his name a whisper on her lips, as anxiety filled her stomach while she waited for him to turn around and face her.

For a moment, Oliver was convinced he was finally losing what was left of his mind. He kept his eyes closed and his head against the door as his heart raced in his chest. He'd seen a lot of insane things in his life, but he didn't believe in ghosts or spirits or any of those kind of paranormal things. Slowly, he turned around and he couldn't help the gasp that left his throat when he saw her standing in front of him. The glass he was holding slipped out of his hand, but Oliver paid no attention to it as it shattered against the floor. "Chloe?" Again, he thought his mind had to be playing some kind of trick on him, but it sure as hell seemed like Chloe was standing there, looking at him with uncertainty in her eyes.

Chloe’s lip turned up at the corner into a hesitant half-smile, “Hey Hero,” she said softly unsure if she should move forward or stay where she was. She could see the shock on his face and she knew he was going to have a ton of questions, but right now all she wanted was to throw herself in his arms and hung him. Chloe had missed him more than she thought was possible. She hadn’t realized how much of her life was tied to Oliver’s until she had walked away from him and the team. “Ollie...Say something,” she whispered, anxiety building inside of her.

"I..." He didn't know what to say. He couldn't believe this was actually happening. Oliver still wasn't sure it was. He moved forward, ignoring the broken glass and stopped when he was standing right in front of her. "Are you really here?" he asked, almost afraid to believe that it was true. He reached out hesitantly and placed his hand on her shoulder as his chest tightened. "Chloe..." Oliver decided that he didn't care if he was crazy. He tugged her closer, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight against his chest. "I thought you were dead."

Chloe wrapped her arms around him, moisture prickling at the corner of her eyes as she tightened her grip on him. “I’m here,” she said softly, “And I know, god Ollie I’m _so_ sorry. I’ve missed you so much.” She told him, not letting him go as she relaxed against him.

Oliver just held her for a few minutes, unable to find his voice as his mind tried to grasp the fact that Chloe was back and she was okay. Or at least it seemed like she was okay, he thought to himself, not ready to let her go yet. She was really there in his arms and he was so grateful for that. It took awhile for his brain to register the fact that she'd apologized. Oliver pulled back just enough so he could look at her, but he kept his arm around her waist, his other hand going to her face to brush the tears from her cheeks.

"God, Chloe, I can't believe you're here. How did you get away? Did Avery have you trapped somewhere? We took him down yesterday and I made sure that he's never going to be able to hurt another person," Oliver said. 

Chloe leaned into his touch, but hesitated before speaking. “Why don’t we sit down and I can explain what happened,” She said softly as she threaded their fingers together and motioned towards the couch knowing he wasn’t going to like what she was about to tell him. But it was time to come clean.

"Okay," Oliver said, confused as he let her lead him toward the couch. "But you're okay, right?" he asked as he looked her over. She seemed okay, at least physically. She was a little thinner than the last time he'd seen her and she had dark circles under her eyes like she hadn't been sleeping much, but he knew he had those as well. "Chloe, what happened? Your car blew up and I thought..." His voice trailed off and Oliver couldn't bring himself to say the words, even though she was right there with him.

Chloe sat down and when Oliver sat beside her she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She placed her hand over his and nodded. “I know. Ollie, what happened to AC and Bart, them getting hurt,” she said softly, “It wasn’t an accident, but I’m sure by now you know that.” She told him. “Avery was a meta-human in Lex’s lab when I was there. At first Lex was experimenting on both of us, but every so often he would tell us that if we used our powers to help him the experiments would stop.” She admitted.

It was something she’d never told him before, but it was part of the story and she knew he was going to need it all. “Long story short he decided to help Lex and something happened with his powers. Anyway, someone looked familiar in the video footage to me a while back and I finally realized it was him.” She said softly.

“He found out where I was Ollie...he had that gang hurt AC, they tried to kidnap me and they hurt Bart.” She paused, “And then he threatened you. He sent me a message telling me if I didn’t give myself up he was going to kill you and he was going to do it in a way I couldn’t bring you back.” Chloe couldn’t meet his gaze as she moistened her throat and continued.

“You have to understand I wasn’t going to go back,” she said as she felt his hand squeeze hers. “So, I came up with a different plan. He wasn’t the one who blew up my car Oliver... _I_ was.” She said as she finally met his gaze.

Nothing she could have told him could have shocked him more than her words. "What?" Oliver questioned as his mind tried to grasp what she was telling him. Chloe had received threats and she hadn't told him. She'd known who was coming after her and the rest of the team and instead of telling him, she'd blown up her car? He couldn't seem to make himself understand that. "Are you saying you...?" He paused, not sure how to finish that sentence because what she was saying couldn't possibly be true. Chloe wouldn't put him and the others through something like that....would she?

Chloe watched him for a minute before resting her hands on her knees and nodding. “Yes,” she said softly. “I needed time to figure out who was after me, while keeping all of you safe. Something weird was going on with my powers and I couldn’t take the chance that the next time I healed one of you it wouldn’t work. You saw what happened with Bart,” she said quietly.

“My power didn’t fully heal him...and then when he threatened you, at the time I didn’t know it was him and I was scared,” his expression hadn’t changed and her chest tightened. “You have to know if anything ever happened to you because of me I’d never forgive myself...I did this to protect you.” She bit her lower lip.

“The second I found out who it was I pointed Victor in the right direction. I couldn’t come back until I was sure he wouldn’t be able to use me against you guys.” She explained.

Oliver just stared at her, completely baffled. Chloe had faked her own death and she'd done it because she wanted to protect him. He shook his head, opening and closing his mouth a few times before he finally found his voice. "So what you're telling me is that you let me and the rest of the team believe you were dead for over a year because you wanted to protect me instead of just coming to me so we could handle this guy?" He shook his head again and pushed himself off the couch, feeling the urge to move around the room. 

Chloe stood as well, but didn’t move towards him. She could see his mind working and she had the sudden feeling that this wasn’t going to go anything like she had imagined it might. Nervousness flared inside her chest, but she nodded. “Yes,” she said quietly, “Because I know you guys and I know you would do anything to keep me safe, even if that meant risking your own lives and I wouldn’t be able to handle that.” She admitted honestly.

“Seeing AC hurt was bad. Seeing that I couldn’t even fully help Bart was devastating, but Ollie...If you got hurt, if anything happened to you. I’d be inconsolable. This past year has been horrible without my best friend by my side. I did everything I could to come back as soon as possible. But it’s safe now...and I’m here.” She whispered.

"Chloe, do you hear yourself?" Oliver asked as he stopped his pacing and turned to face her. "What you're describing, that pain you would have felt if something happened to me, is exactly what you put me through this past year. God, Chloe, when I saw what happened to your car and I thought you were in there..." Pain tightened in his chest and he fought to keep breathing normally.

"I might as well have been dead because all I could think of was that you were gone and it was my fault because I hadn't done enough to protect you. I haven't slept in a year. The only thing that kept me going was knowing that we needed to bring the people who hurt you to justice and now you're telling me that you set all of this up? How could you do that to us, Chloe?" he demanded.

Chloe took a deep breath and did her best not to get emotional. She deserved his anger, she knew he was going to be upset with her, she just hadn’t realized how upset.  “I know it seems like that, but it’s different. If I had stayed you really would have been dead. I know I should have told you, but I also knew you would have never let me go through with it if I did.” She said as she took a hesitant step towards him. “And I came back as soon as I saw you guys had him I came back to you.” She said willing the moisture in her eyes to go away.

“It was the right thing to do. I was thinking about the good of the team, you would have only thought about what was good for me. You would have gladly put your life at risk to protect me and I would have lost you,” she said trying to make him understand. “I’ve lost too many people Oliver, losing you wasn’t an option.” Her tone was matter-of-fact as she met his gaze. “You aren’t the only person who’s spent the past year feeling guilty and not sleeping. I never did this to hurt you; I did this to protect you.”

"Yeah, but the difference is that you knew I was alive," Oliver countered. Everything about her logic was faulty. "I get that you wanted to protect me, Chloe, I do, but what you did? That wasn't protecting me. You should have come to me," he told her, his voice faltering as his emotions got the best of him. "If you really wanted to fake your death, I could have helped you. But you just left me with nothing except for the image of you burning to death in your exploding car. How could you?" he asked again.

The accusation in his tone was like a slap in the face. It took her a minute to make sure her voice would come out steady as she spoke. “I needed you to believe it,” she whispered. “He never would have believed it if you didn’t.” She hated herself for doing things they way she had, but they had to be done. “I thought maybe you’d figure it out at some point,” she said knowing her words were weak, “I sent tips...I helped Victor when I could.”

Chloe took another step closer to him. “I’m sorry Oliver. I’m _so_ sorry,” she said a hint of pleading in her tone as she reached out to him.

Oliver shook his head. "Don't you dare put that on me, Chloe," he said as he took a step back, refusing to let her touch him. "I thought I watched you die. That's what you wanted; that's why you called me and made me bring you that damn water bottle so I'd know you were dead. We both know if I would have thought for one second that you hadn't been in that car, I would have done nothing but look for you. You made damn sure that I wouldn't do that." He turned his back on her, sucking in a sharp breath of air as he tried to get a grip on the emotions that were flowing through him.

Chloe’s chest tightened. “You’re right I’m sorry,” she said quickly, “I didn’t, I wasn’t trying to.” She paused not sure what to say. “You have every right to be angry at me, but Oliver I swear I did this to protect you and the rest of the team. I wasn’t going to let any of you die for me. This was the only way and it worked.” She said. “Please don’t hate me,” she whispered doing her best to keep the tears at bay knowing she had no right to be this upset.

His jaw clenched at the emotion he heard in her voice and he didn't have to look at her to know how close she was to tears. Oliver swallowed hard as he turned to face her again. "I don't hate you, Chloe. But, honestly, what did you think was going to happen? Did you think you'd just pop up from the dead and everything would go back to normal like you hadn't left for a year?" he asked. Oliver gestured around the room. "I'm sure you noticed that I'm not in Star City anymore because I literally could not bear being there without you anymore. The team was about ten seconds away from having me committed."

Chloe winced and she looked down not able to meet his gaze. “I don’t know. I knew you would be angry, but I guess I just thought it would be okay, that we’d fix it.” But she could see how wrong she was. She glanced up. “I am sorry I hurt you Oliver. I am. I never meant to cause you pain.”

When she had realized he moved to Metropolis, a whole new kind of fear had taken hold of her. But she had come back to a city she hadn’t stepped foot in, in over six years and promised herself she’d never come back to again, for him. Because somehow over the course of being gone a year Chloe had realized that Oliver was the most important person in her life and she couldn’t stand living without him. She wasn’t sure what that meant, but honestly she didn’t care. He was her best friend and she wanted that back.

"But you had to know that you would and you did," Oliver countered. "And it wasn't just me, Chloe. The guys are devastated and they all blame themselves. Everyone has spent the past year wondering what they could have done differently and looking at all the ways we failed you." He let out a frustrated noise and ran his hands over his face, not sure what to do anymore. 

Chloe closed her eyes for a minute trying to control her emotions. She should have known that the guys would be hurting too. The team, Oliver, they were like her own little makeshift family, one that she had been desperately trying to protect. She had known it wouldn’t be easy, but the thought had never crossed her mind that Oliver would be so angry she might not have a family to come back to.

“You’re right,” she said again softly, “I can’t change what I did...But I did what I thought was best. I did what I did to keep all of you safe.” She told him again. When he didn’t say anything right away her heart clenched as a lump formed in her throat. She looked away from him and around the living room briefly. “I shouldn’t have just shown up,” she said finally, “I’m sorry...I’ll go.” She said doing her best to keep the tears from falling as she reminded herself that despite doing what she felt was right Oliver had every right to be angry with her and it wasn’t fair to make him feel bad about it by getting upset.

Oliver reached out, his hand closing over her wrist before she had a chance to walk away. "No," he told her firmly. "I'm angry with you, Chloe, angrier than I ever thought possible, but I don't want you to leave." The mere idea of her leaving him again sent a rush of panic through his entire system. Despite the hurt and anger coursing through him, Oliver was relieved that she was alive. "Where have you been all these months?" he asked, keeping his hand on her arm like he half-expected her to disappear if he let go.

Chloe glanced at him not bothering to pull her arm free. “All over,” she said softly. “I never stayed in one place too long.” She admitted. “I was in California for a while and then Vegas, and then I just kept on moving. Motels mostly,” she told him as she glanced down again feeling oddly self-conscious. She knew Oliver was hurting and she hated that she was the one to cause it.

"No doubt watching us the whole time, I'm sure," Oliver muttered, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "All your stuff is still in your room in Star City. I...I didn't touch anything," he told her quietly. Victor had suggested that he box up Chloe's stuff to try and help his healing process and Oliver stopped talking to him for almost a week.

"What do you want to do?" he asked. Oliver still wasn't sure how she'd thought she'd just come back and it would be like nothing had changed, but he wondered if Chloe had some kind of other plan. She always seemed to have one and she was clearly good at keeping them to herself.

Chloe heard the bitterness in his tone and she wasn’t sure what to say. She held his gaze for several minutes before shrugging. “Thank you for not throwing it out and I didn’t really think that far ahead.” She said softly. “I just wanted to find you.” She explained. “I will stay wherever you are,” she told him before pausing, “Unless...unless you’d rather I didn’t,” her heart clenched tightly at the thought, but she knew that was always a possibility. “Then I can just go I guess.” She said letting her voice trail off.

Oliver shook his head. "I don't know how to do this, Chloe," he admitted. "It's like my mind can't even wrap itself around the fact that you did this on purpose, but there's a part of me that just wants to hug you and never let go," he told her. "I missed you so much," he said, his voice wavering, as fresh emotion overtook him. "But at the same time, I feel like I don't know who you are anymore. Maybe I never did." The Chloe he knew was selfless and she would sacrifice herself to protect her friends, but he'd never imagined she would hurt them so badly in the process. He didn't know how to make sense of that.

“I can keep apologizing,” she said as she let out a shaky breath, “Even though I know it won’t fix anything. But Oliver put yourself in my shoes. If you knew someone was going to hurt me, they’d already proved twice that they weren’t kidding, can you honestly tell me there isn’t anything you would do to make sure I was safe?” She asked not giving him a chance to answer.

“I have missed you every second I’ve been gone,” she said as she reached out and hesitantly rested a hand against his chest. “I’ve been waiting for this moment since the second I walked out the door that night. Maybe my tactics were wrong, but you’re still alive and so is everyone else. You can be mad at me and I am so incredibly sorry I hurt you, but I won’t ever be sorry for trying to keep you safe.” She said not able to hide the moisture in her eyes.

“I saw what they did to Bart, I watched him bleed out. I know what it felt like and I know he would have done worse to you and I never would have been able to save you. I don’t know where we go from here, but I will do anything to make it up to you.” She paused, “I can’t lose you again,” she whispered.

Oliver nodded, not saying anything for a moment, but he brought his hand up to cover hers on his chest. He knew she was sorry and he could see how guilty she felt, but he also knew she would do it again in a heartbeat if she thought it was the best thing for him and everyone else and that scared him.

"It's late," he told her quietly. "I just put in thirteen hours at the office and I'm sure you're tired from wherever you've been," he said. "Let's just table this little discussion until the morning," he suggested. Part of him felt like that was taking the coward's way out, but Oliver really didn't want to keep standing there going around in circles with her. None of this was going to get resolved tonight. 

Chloe nodded as her heart sank slightly. “Okay,” she said softly. She was quiet for a minute before meeting his gaze again. “Do you want me to go?” She asked quietly, “If you’d feel more comfortable with me just coming back tomorrow, I can do that. Whatever you want.” She said knowing that if he asked her to leave it would hurt more than she cared to admit, but she would understand.

"Don't be ridiculous," Oliver replied with more bite to his words than he'd intended. He squeezed her hand and just looked at her for a moment, still not really believing that she was there. "I don't want you to leave, Chloe. I've never wanted you to leave and I never will," he told her matter-of-factly. "Come upstairs with me," he said, keeping her hand in his and not really giving her a choice as he tugged her toward the staircase. "I'll get you something to wear and show you the guestroom," he said.

His grip on her hand was tight bordering on almost painful and she didn’t even think he realized it. But she didn’t dare ask him to loosen his grip. Instead she held onto him as tight as she could letting him pull her up the stairs. They made it to his bedroom and Chloe briefly glanced around needing something to break the tense silence that had settled between them. “It’s nice,” she said quietly as she stood beside him just inside the door.

Oliver shrugged. "It's not much. I bought this place years ago; right before I met you," he added as he let go of her hand and walked to the dresser to grab a t-shirt for her. "Before we started on the 33.1 missions, I was spending a lot of time in Metropolis and didn't want to live in a hotel." There had been too much risk that someone might make the Green Arrow connection. He pulled out a t-shirt and held it out to Chloe. "Do you need anything else?" he asked.

Chloe reached out and took the shirt from him carefully. She opened her mouth, but shut it almost immediately and looked down as she shook her head. “No, I’m okay.” She said softly.

He nodded and pointed to the hallway. "The guest room is over there. It has a private bath. Try and get some sleep," Oliver suggested. His tone was detached and it felt wrong, but he couldn't seem to bring himself past the overwhelming hurt that seemed to be crushing him.

Chloe stood there for a minute, not wanting to leave, but knowing it was unfair to ask if she could stay. “You too,” were the only words she was able to muster up as she turned and moved slowly down the unfamiliar hallway. She spotted the door and pushed it open closing it quietly behind her. As soon as she heard the door click shut her face crumbled and she let out a muffled sob.

She’d spent an entire year alone and yet she felt more alone standing there in Oliver’s guest bedroom than she had the entire time she was gone. In twelve months Chloe had managed to ruin the one thing that meant everything to her. Maybe things would have been better for Oliver if she would have just let him move on and had stayed dead.

Oliver heard the door close and moved back into his room, pulling off the pieces of his suit. He changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and flipped off the light. He started to close the door and then changed his mind, moving down the hall toward the guest room. Oliver lifted his hand and knocked on the door. "Chloe?"

Chloe glanced back at the door and frantically wiped at her eyes. The last thing she needed was for Oliver to see her so upset. It was her own fault he was so angry with her and she needed to make it better. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before tossing her close on a chair in the corner of the room and making her way over to the door.

She swallowed heavily and did her best to appear calm and collected. Chloe pulled open the door and met his gaze, “Everything okay?” She asked softly.

He could tell she'd been crying. Oliver knew Chloe prided herself on being able to compartmentalize her emotions, but he'd always been able to see through her facade. He knew her better than anyone and maybe that was part of the reason her deceit hurt so much. "I'm really angry with you and I don't know what it's going to take to make that go away," he told her. Oliver took a step closer to her, reaching out to brush his hand over her cheek. "But I want you to know that I'm also grateful that you came back to me." He pulled Chloe into his arms, holding her tight for a moment before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and released her. "Get some sleep," he said again, turning and making his way back down the hall.

Chloe watched him go, relief filling her as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath letting some of her tears fall. She closed the door again, but this time there was a hint of hope inside of her that just maybe, eventually, things would be okay.


	6. Chapter 6

Despite his exhaustion, Oliver was wide awake at four in the morning. He got out of bed and moved into the hallway, half-expecting to see the guest room door open. But it was closed and he assumed Chloe was sleeping. Oliver headed downstairs and spent the next hour in his workout room, trying to get some of his frustrations out. It wasn't particularly working.

Oliver gave up, headed back upstairs and took a long shower before pulling his sweatpants and t-shirt back on, not really planning on leaving the apartment for the day. Once again, he couldn't help glancing at the guest room. Oliver still couldn't believe that Chloe was really back and that she'd planned all of this. His chest tightened at the memory. He was so angry at her, but he'd meant what he said. It didn't matter how mad he was, he was still glad she'd come back to him.

He headed downstairs, making his way to the kitchen. Oliver didn't have a lot of food in the house since he'd been gone for two weeks, but he figured he could find something to make for breakfast. He busied himself with cooking, trying not to think about how much it hurt that Chloe hadn't trusted him enough to let him in on her plan.

That was basically what it boiled down to. She said she was doing it to keep him safe and he believed that, but at the same time, he didn't understand why she hadn't come to him. He would have found a way to help her. Oliver thought she'd known that, but maybe he'd been wrong.

Chloe sighed and tossed the blanket off of her. She knew it was still early, but she couldn’t pretend to sleep anymore. She was anxious and worried. She wanted to see Oliver again, but she wasn’t sure if he was awake or not. Chloe figured if he wasn’t she could just look around until he got up.

She got out of bed and walked over to the door pulling it open slowly and making her way out into the hallway. She headed for the stairs and half way down she heard a noise and froze. Chloe’s heartbeat picked up speed and she swallowed heavily as she continued down the stairs. She followed the noise toward the kitchen and paused in the doorway watching him for a minute.

God, she had missed him. Chloe tilted her head to the side and bit her lower lip as she forced the nervousness down. “Good morning,” she said softly as she walked into the kitchen and stood there, feeling slightly out of place and not sure where to go.

Oliver's back stiffened and he forced himself to relax as he glanced back at her over his shoulder. "Morning," he said. Oliver looked at her for a moment, noting that she was still really pale and she had bags under her eyes like she hadn't gotten much more sleep than he had. "There's not a lot of food, but I'm making omelets," he said. "I don't have any coffee though. Sorry," he said before he turned back to the stove. 

Chloe saw his back stiffen and the anxiety was back as she sat stiffly on one of the stools on the other side of the kitchen island. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said softly, “But thank you.” She said still uncertain of how to act. She could tell he was still angry, not that she expected him not to be. She just wasn’t sure how to make things better even though she spent the night trying to figure out how to make things right. “How have you been?” She asked quietly as she stared at his back.

"In general or since last night?" Oliver asked. He finished with the omelets, turning off the stove and scooping them onto plates before carrying them over to the counter. He set them down and went to the refrigerator, grabbing two bottles of water. "In general, I've been tired, stressed and busy. Since last night, I've pretty much just been in shock," he said as he took a seat beside her. "What about you?" he asked. 

Chloe glanced down at the plate and then back at Oliver. “Tired,” she said keeping her voice casual. “I’ve been tired.” She lifted the fork and poked at the omelets. She wasn’t really that hungry, but she didn’t want to seem ungrateful, so she started cutting it up into pieces so she could eat some. She took a bite and swallowed before glancing at Oliver. “How is the team?” She asked trying to stay on neutral topics.

"Depends on that day," Oliver replied truthfully. He wasn't really hungry, but he took a bite of his food, trying to find some sense of normalcy. "Everyone has headed to their separate quarters to regroup after the mission. But I do think it helped the guys find some closure." He paused when he realized what he was saying. "I mean it was good for them to bring down the bad guys. The ones we thought took you from us," he added before he picked up his fork again.

Chloe nodded. “Right, of course,” she said as she shifted in her seat not really sure what to say. Things had never been this awkward between her an Oliver before and she hated it. Just another thing she could blame on herself. “What have you been up to in Metropolis?” She asked trying once again to make conversation.

"I met your cousin," Oliver said. "And your friend Clark, but that was completely by accident," he added. "I pretty much feel like a jackass anytime I'm in the room with either of them. I'm sure I don't have to tell you why," he said as he reached for his water and took a long sip. Now he felt even worse because he'd been on the receiving end of Chloe pretending to be dead.

Chloe’s body tensed beside him at the mention of her cousin and Clark. She put her fork down and swallowed hard suddenly feeling incredibly sick. “Oh,” she said wondering why she hadn’t realized that, that was a possibility. But he said anytime meaning it happened often. Why was he hanging out with them? Chloe’s chest tightened and she reached for the bottle of water that Oliver had set down near her. She opened it and took a long sip before closing it and putting it down again, picking slightly at the label. She hadn’t expected it to be this hard to talk to Oliver.

Oliver mentally cursed himself for being so insensitive. He was angry at Chloe, but that was no reason to go out of his way to be a jackass. "I'm sorry," he said. Oliver hesitated for a second and then reached out, placing his hand on her arm. "I shouldn't have just sprung that on you. I know how hard it was for you to walk away from them."

“It’s fine.” She said softly as she slid out of the seat and lifted her plate bringing it to the garbage and tossing out most of the food before moving to the sink, needing something to do. “It’s not that big of a city. I should have realized.” She said quietly as she scrubbed her dish while wishing she’d never left in the first place even though she knew it had been the right thing to do.

He watched her for a moment before he got up and walked to the sink, shutting off the water and pulling the plate from her hands before he placed his hands on her arms and turned her around so she was facing him. "Don't shut me out, Chloe," he said, a hint of warning in his voice, as he held her gaze. "Things might be rough right now, but we don't lie to each other," he reminded her. "Believe me, I did not come here and seek out the two people in the city who would constantly remind me that you were gone. It actually is a big enough city that it never crossed my mind that I'd be in the same room with either one of them," he said. If it had, Oliver would have made a different choice when he'd decided to relocate. 

Chloe was quite as she gazed up at him, her chest tight. “Tell me what to do,” she said quietly, “Tell me what to do to fix this Ollie and I will do anything, please,” she whispered as she pressed her hands against his chest. “I’ve missed you so much and I hate this. I hate that things are so...strained.” She admitted knowing that even though she wanted everything to be okay they might not be again.

"I don't know, Chloe," Oliver replied honestly. He'd spent an entire year missing her more than he'd ever thought it was possible to miss anyone and now that she was back, he wanted to pull her into his arms and never let go, but he couldn't. Oliver knew that if she had to make the same choice again, she would. She would leave and he would be alone and drowning in regret that he hadn't done enough to get her to see that she'd always be safe with him. He didn't know how to fix what was broken between them because he wasn't sure it could be fixed.

Chloe pursed her lips and nodded as she stepped back from him. She wished everything could just be good again. That he would be happy she was back and forget about everything else, but she knew that was selfish. She knew she was going to have to be strong and work her way back into his heart. She just wished she knew how to do it.  
  
Chloe needed to regroup and get herself together so she wasn't so emotional. She shifted on her feet and. Glanced around the kitchen. "I think if its okay with you i'd like to take a shower." She said softly.

"You don't have to ask my permission," Oliver reminded her. He took a step back as well, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. "I need to make some calls and check my email, but I'll be around," he said.

Chloe swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay." She turned and started to walk away from him, but paused in the doorway and glanced back at him. "I just want you to know that I have no intentions of leaving again." She said quietly, "While I don't regret keeping you guys safe, staying away from you was a lot harder than I anticipated it to be." She admitted as her chest tightened. "So whenever you're ready I'll be here." She told him quietly as she turned to leave the room.

Oliver didn't say anything as he watched her walk away. He wanted to believe her and maybe she would stick around for awhile, but how was he supposed to believe that she wouldn't turn and bolt the second another threat came? With the lives they lived, there was bound to be one, probably more than one. How was he supposed to trust that she really wouldn't leave him again?

 

______

 

Chloe had taken a long shower. One of the longest she’d taken in months. She had herself a good cry, but now that she was out and dressed she was determined to keep herself together. The past year had taught her a lot of things. It taught her how far she was willing to go for the people she cared about, how lonely a Friday night was without Oliver, how Chinese food didn’t taste nearly as good without him and how much he really meant to her.

She hadn’t realized it when she lived with him because seeing Oliver was an everyday thing. Chloe took it for granted and she hadn’t seen the shift in her feelings for him, not until she was hundreds of miles away from him and crying herself to sleep at night. But not anymore, she was back and she needed to show Oliver that he could count on her again. That she trusted him and she wasn’t going to leave him.

Chloe had absolutely no idea how she was going to do that, but what she did know was that she was going to stop getting so upset. This was her fault; she didn’t deserve to be upset. The only person who had a reason to be angry or sad was Oliver and she needed to fix it. Chloe let out a short breath and brushed her hands over the dress she was wearing.

It wasn’t anything special, just one of the outfits she had in the small duffle bag she’d taken with her when she left and brought with her when she came to his apartment last night hoping he would let her stay. It was a cotton dress Oliver had gotten for her. One of the first things he bought her after he rescued her from Lex. To her it signified a new beginning.

Chloe swallowed hard and made her way out of the room and downstairs. She was halfway down the stairs when she heard Oliver talking. She kept walking and was right outside his office about to knock when she heard him say her cousin’s name. Chloe’s entire body froze, her face turning a few shades paler as her chest tightened. Oliver was talking to her cousin.

"Lois, can you take a breath so I can get a word in?" Oliver asked, laughing. He'd been in the middle of a lengthy proposal when his phone had vibrated on his desk and he'd assumed it was his assistant so he'd picked it up without looking at the caller ID, only to hear Lois's impatient voice on the other end of the call. She'd been lecturing him for nearly ten minutes about how bad it looked that he was so unsociable and the least he could do for his pathetic reputation was have dinner with her and Clark in a public setting.

"If that word is going to be 'no' than there's really no point in letting you speak, is there?" Lois replied. She leaned back in her chair as she glanced around the newsroom, waiting for Clark to come back from whatever rescue he'd dashed out to do. "Look Ollie, I know you like to make excuses, but I don't want to hear them. Work is not good enough and I know you're not planning any side business trips anytime soon so you have no excuses left," she said.

Oliver sighed. He had an excuse; a petite blonde excuse that he certainly couldn't tell Lois about, considering she thought her cousin had been dead for years. "Lois, I appreciate that you want to look out for me and my sad social calendar, but this really isn't a good time. Something unexpected came up and I just need to stick close to home for a few days. But maybe next week," he said, hoping that would pacify her.

It didn't. "Oliver, you've been 'maybe next week-ing' me for months," Lois said. She didn't get it. Oliver got along really well with both her and Clark and she didn't understand why he was so cagey about spending time with them. "If you don't agree to come out with us, we will come to you," she threatened.

That was something Oliver couldn't risk; not as long as Chloe was there and if he had anything to say in the matter, she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon. "Fine. Today is what, Wednesday? We can have dinner on Friday. Do you want me to make a reservation somewhere or will you be cooking?" he asked, knowing perfectly well that Lois didn't do that.

She snorted. "That's funny, Queen. Clark will be cooking or we'll order takeout, but you will get your billionaire behind out to the farm. Seven o'clock sharp and don't be late. I have to go."

Oliver heard the phone click and shook his head. Typical Lois, he thought as he turned his attention back to the computer and tried to figure out where he'd left off with his proposal. 

Chloe was getting the overwhelming feeling of being out of place once again. She had been gone for an entire year and Oliver had moved on, why wouldn’t he? It wasn’t like he knew she was alive. What was she expecting that he would just sit around forever and be miserable? She didn’t want that, she never wanted that.

But she hadn’t expected him to be so close to Lois and Clark, that hurt in a way she couldn’t explain and she wasn’t even sure why. Chloe pushed the feelings aside and knocked lightly on his office door as she swallowed hard and forced a small smile on her face. “Hey,” she said quietly.

"Hey," Oliver said. He glanced up from the computer, still not really used to seeing her there. Oliver couldn't quite read the look on her face and that bothered him. He hated feeling like he didn't know Chloe anymore. His eyes fell on the dress she was wearing and he raised an eyebrow. "You still have that," he commented. 

Chloe’s brows furrowed and she glanced down and ran her hand over it. “Of course I do...Why wouldn’t I?” She asked as she glanced up again a hint of confusion on her face.

"I didn't mean..." Oliver's voice trailed off and he ran his hand through his hair, hating the awkwardness that had settled between them. "I guess I'm just surprised you had it with you. Was the shower okay?" he asked, grasping for conversation. It was hard to believe this was the same woman who he'd always been able to talk to about anything. 

“The shower was fine, thank you.” She said before glancing at her dress again. “It reminded me of you,” she explained softly, “So I took it with me.” She admitted as she looked over his computer. “Are you working? I can come back later if I’m interrupting.” She said as she shifted on her feet wondering why she couldn’t see to shake the awkwardness between them.

He wasn't sure what to make of her comment so he let it pass. "I was just finishing up some proposals, but it's not that important," Oliver said. He closed the window on his computer and turned back to Chloe. "Did you want to talk about something?" he asked, assuming there was a reason she had sought him out. 

Chloe opened her mouth and then closed it before shaking her head. “No,” she said with a shrug, “I just thought, maybe we could catch up.” She said as she held his gaze, “It’s been a while.” She commented trying not to feel put off by the fact that he thought she wanted something in order to seek him out. Chloe reminded herself that, that was a natural reaction and she needed to stop being so sensitive.

"It has been awhile," Oliver agreed. He just looked at her for a moment and then pushed his chair back from his desk, getting to his feet. "Sure, Chloe, let's catch up," he said as he moved past her and motioned for her to follow him down the hall. "Why don't you tell me what you've been doing for the past year when you let me think you were dead," he suggested. Oliver knew he was being harsh, but he couldn't seem to shake his anger. 

Chloe winced, but didn’t say anything about his comment as she followed him down the hall. “I told you, I moved around a lot, sent tips to Victor, some to Lois,” she said quietly as she paused when he did. “I didn’t do much of anything,” She told him. “What about you?” She asked knowing he probably didn’t feel like answering the question.

"I thought about you," Oliver replied honestly. "And all the things I could have done differently since I failed to keep you safe. Not much has really changed on that front," he said, holding her gaze for a moment before he turned and started walking again, making his way into the living room. "The guys and I tracked every single lead we came across, even the small ones and then I moved here." He took a seat on the couch. "Eventually we took down the bad guys and I still didn't feel any peace because you were still gone. But now you're here and it feels really wrong to be this angry at you, Chloe," he admitted. 

Chloe pursed her lips and sat on the chair across from him keeping her distance. “I’m sorry Oliver,” she said again. “I know that doesn’t make it better and I get that you’re angry, but I can’t change what I did, all I can tell you is that it won’t happen again.” She told him softly. “I’m not going anywhere.” She repeated as she rested her hands on her knees, gripping them tightly.

Oliver nodded. He didn't really believe her and he knew that she knew that. But there was no reason to sit there and fight with her. That wasn't going to help either one of them. "Chloe, we need to figure out where we go from here. The team needs to know you're alive," he told her matter-of-factly. That was nonnegotiable with him. "But if you still want to keep Lois and Clark in the dark, then we need to leave town because it's only a matter of time before the secret gets out," he said. Clark had a habit of just appearing and Lois seemed determined to make him more social. It was risky just being in the same city.

The thought of telling Lois and Clark anything scared her to death and she shook her head. “I have no plans to tell them anything,” she said quickly as her heartbeat picked up speed. “I don’t have a problem with telling the team,” she knew that wasn’t an option they needed to know, but Clark and Lois, she wasn’t ready to jump back into her old life, she wasn’t sure she would ever be ready for that.

"Okay," Oliver said. He didn't agree with her decision, but he also knew it wasn't his choice to make. "It's going to take me awhile to untangle things here before I can go back to Star City." He knew that was an understatement. The board had been less than thrilled with him for the better part of a year. Profits were up and that was all that really mattered, but he knew they'd think he'd lost his mind again if he abruptly made the decision to move back. "Once the team knows you're alive, I'm sure they can keep you company at the penthouse," he said. Oliver didn't particularly like the fact that they were going to be separated again, but he didn't really have a choice in the matter.

Chloe hesitated, “Oliver if you would rather stay in Metropolis...I can stay here.” She told him softly. “I don’t want you to have to uproot things again because of me.” She said as she studied his face. “I’ve already messed everything up for you once, I won’t do it again.”

"How would that work exactly?" Oliver asked. "Chloe, I'm not trying to be an ass here, but you have to be realistic. If we stay here, unless you're planning on becoming a recluse and never leaving the apartment, there's going to be a good chance that your cousin and Clark find out that you're alive." Especially considering Clark had superpowers, he thought to himself, but didn't say anything. Oliver shifted on the couch, moving to the other side so he was closer to the chair she was sitting in. He hesitated for a second and then reached out, covering her hand with his.

"I promised you a long time ago that I would never force you to go back to your old life or let anyone know that you were still here," he reminded her. "I'm never going to go back on my word. I can deal with the fallout of going back to Star City. Like I said, it might take awhile, but I can make it happen." Oliver was hurt and angry, but he wasn't going to force her to reveal that she was still alive. He knew how much that thought terrified her and even though he thought it was the right choice, he wasn't going to push her.

Chloe watched him for a full minute. The thought of telling Lois and Clark she was alive scared the hell out of her. Being that Chloe Sullivan again terrified her. Hell being so close to Smallville scared her. Ever since she got to Metropolis it was like she was waiting for Lex to pop up somewhere even though she knew he was dead.  
  
Chloe took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She knew Oliver would go back for her no matter how much trouble it caused him because that's who he was. But it would be selfish of her to ask him to especially after everything she had put him through.   
  
She shook her head, "You shouldn't have to deal with the fallout," she said quietly. "We'll stay and I will tell them," she said the thought making her physically sick, "Maybe then you'll believe that I'm not going anywhere." She said as she slid her hand out from under his and stood before walking over to his wet bar and pouring herself half a glass of whiskey.

Oliver stood as well and followed her across the room. "I don't want you to make this decision because of me," he told her quietly. "I know you're scared, Chloe, but this shouldn't be about proving anything to me. Our issues need to be separate from this." When she didn't turn around, he gently nudged her until she was facing him and Oliver reached out, resting his hand on her cheek.

"Let's go back to Star City today," he suggested. "I wasn't planning on going into the office anyway. I'll call the pilot and then we can go home and see the guys. After that, we'll talk about this more, okay?" Oliver honestly wasn't sure how the team was going to handle her reappearance, but he knew it was going to be a lot easier for Chloe to face them than it was going to be for her to see Lois and Clark.

Chloe leaned into his touch briefly letting herself take comfort in the warmth of his palm against her cheek. "Okay," she said softly. She swallowed heavily and met Oliver's gaze. "They didn't look hard enough," She said a hint of moisture in her eyes. "I was here for months before Lex moved me. _Months_." She said not able to hide the resentment in her voice. "They just gave up." She whispered before looking away from him and pulling herself together.  
  
When she looked back at him her expression was more controlled. "But Oliver, for the record I can't just ask you to leave the life you made here for yourself. I won't be that selfish." She said defiantly, "I can be a part of whatever life you've made for yourself. I'll work it out." She told him.

"Chloe, my life has been meaningless since the day I thought you died," Oliver told her honestly. "Every minute has just been me going through the motions. I'm not sure what you think things are like for me here, but it's been pretty much one miserable day after the next. So if you don't want to stay here, we don't have to stay," he said simply.

Oliver took the glass from her hand and set it down and then he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against him as he rested his head on top of hers. "I know what you went through here, Chloe. It's not selfish for you to want to leave. We'll figure it out," he said.

Chloe made a small noise in the back of her throat before wrapping her arms around his midsection and burying her face near his chest. "God I missed you," she whispered against him. She missed his scent and the way when he held her all the monsters seemed to disappear, making her feel more safe than she ever had.   
  
"Everything has been meaningless without you too Ollie," she paused tightening her grip on him, "I'm sorry I made you feel that way, I never want you to feel like that again." She told him softly.

"I know, Chloe," Oliver said as he tightened his grip on her. He knew she was sorry and he wanted to believe that she wouldn't do it again. But she'd hurt him more than he'd ever thought possible and he wasn't sure how to reconcile that.

"I missed you too. Every second," Oliver told her. He gently eased back, keeping his arms around her, but shifting her so he could see her face. "I know I haven't been handling this well, but I don't want you to think for a second that I'm not happy to have you back. Got it?" he said.

Chloe hesitated before nodding. "You have every right to be upset with me," she told him, "Not that you need my permission or anything," she hurried on before letting out a short breath. "I just meant I understand. I get it." She pressed a palm against his chest.   
  
"What I need you to get through to you is no matter how angry you get, I'll still be here. You can yell and scream and tell me how much you hate me and I would still stay." She told him as her hand curled slightly against his chest. "I'm going to make this up to you," she said earnestly, "I don't know how, but I will."

"I don't hate you, Chloe. I could never hate you," Oliver stressed. No matter what happened, she was always going to be the most important person in his life. He couldn't help feeling like he'd taken that for granted and even though he was angry with her, he knew at some point he'd have to let it go because he wasn't going to lose her again for any reason.

"We're just going to take it one day at a time until we get where we need to be. But when push comes to shove, we're still in this together. Always," he added.

Chloe felt her heart warm. "That really means a lot," she said softly, "I appreciate that." She stayed where she was in his arms quietly for a minute before tilting her head t the side. "Are you sure you can miss work today?" She asked light, "I don't want to cause any trouble."

"CEO, remember?" Oliver teased. He gave her a genuine smile, the first since she'd told him what she'd done. "You should know by now I do whatever I please and they have to let me. I'm going to call Kevin and then try to figure out how to tell the guys without giving them all heart attacks," he said.

Chloe grinned at the smile on his face and she relaxed slightly, "Oh and I pop out of a dark corner and wail like a ghost!" She joked a hint of amusement in her eyes. "I can't wait to see them." She admitted a minute later.

"They missed you a lot. We all did," Oliver added. He took a step back from her and motioned toward his office. "I'm going to grab the phone and make the arrangements," he said.

Chloe nodded letting her hands slip to her sides as she nodded. "Okay," she said before pursing her lips. "That sounds like a good plan." She told him.

Oliver headed down the hall, feeling a little better than he had earlier. He was happy to have Chloe back; he just needed to get past what she'd done and he believed he could, eventually. But for now, he was going to have to gather the team and break the news to them. He was fairly certain they would all handle it better than he had, but obviously, there was no way to plan for that kind of thing. He'd just have to see what happened once they got back to Star City.


	7. Chapter 7

Chloe watched the numbers on the elevator and the closer they got to the top the more nervous she was. The plane ride had been quiet, but not as tense as the last day and a half with Oliver. They talked a little, but were mostly lost in their own thoughts.

The elevator chimed opening up to the hallway, but Chloe couldn't seem to make herself move forward. It had been a year since she'd been to Watchtower and just being in the room flooded her with memories she'd missed desperately over the past few months.  
  
She bit her lower lip and peeked out of the elevator towards the double doors. She glanced at Oliver and hesitated. "I think I changed my mind." She said letting her voice trail off.

Oliver glanced at her and he could see how nervous she was. He reached down and took her hand, holding it tightly in his as he gently tugged her forward and out of the elevator. "It's going to be fine, Chloe. I'm right here," he reminded her.

Chloe glanced from Oliver's hand to his face and swallowed hard. She nodded squeezing his hand lightly as she let him tug her out of the elevator and down the hall. She took a deep breath as Oliver pushed the doors open and kept close to his side as they walked into the room.

Oliver could practically feel the anxiety pouring out of her and he wished there was more that he could do to help her. He'd called the guys and let them know that he was coming to town and they should meet him at Watchtower, but all he'd told them was that he had good news for a change. There was no easy way to tell anyone that Chloe was back from the dead. As they walked into the room, he spotted Victor behind the computer, furiously typing. "Vic," he called as he tightened his grip on Chloe.

"Hey Ollie, I just need a second," Victor replied. He was in the middle of a complicated coding issue with the latest surveillance system he was testing out. "I'm surprised you came back here so fast. I figured you'd at least wait until winter," he joked as he continued typing. He switched the screen and glanced up, his jaw falling open as his eyes widened almost comically. "Chloe?!"

Chloe sent Victor a meek smile not sure how to take his exclamation. Oliver had been ecstatic to see her until he found out what she had done and she imagined it would be much the same with the rest of the team. "Hey Vic," she said softly, "Long time no see," she joked lightly a hint of nervousness still lingering on her face.

Victor was momentarily too stunned to do anything other than stare. He glanced from Chloe to Oliver and back again. "You're really here?" He grinned as he hurried over and pulled her into a hug. "I don't know how you're here, but it's so good to see you," he said.

Chloe chuckled and hugged him back, "It's really good to see you too." She said as she hugged him back. She opened her mouth to ask him how he was when the sound of Bart's voice traveled through the room.  
  
"What's going on down there, you guys are--" His sentence cut off when his gaze landed on Chloe. His eyes widened and he was in front of her in seconds. "Holy crap, Chloelicious?" he asked before shoving at Victor. "Move tin man, I want a hug stop hogging her." He said as he sped from side to side.  
  
Chloe chuckled as Victor moved back and she hugged Bart. "Hey Bart," she said as he glanced at Oliver.   
  
"I don't know how you brought her back from the dead Bossman and I don't care, I'm just glad you're back." He said this time addressing Chloe.

"How did this happen?" Victor asked as he glanced between Chloe and Oliver. "Were you being held all this time? Your car..." Victor's voice trailed off, confusion on his face. Everything had indicated that Chloe had died when her car blew up, but she was standing in front of them. "I can't believe you're okay," he said as he nudged Bart aside so he could hug her again.

"Maybe we should wait for AC," Oliver suggested. "There's no reason Chloe needs to tell the story three times," he said. Oliver could see both men were confused and he couldn't really blame them for that, but he didn't want to make Chloe repeat herself. He knew she was dreading telling them the truth.

AC took that moment to walk in. “What’s the emergency?” He called out, “I was just about to head out for a rally in, holy hell….Chloe?” He asked as his jaw dropping open. “But you,” he paused and glanced at the guys, “She’s, I…Chloe!” He rushed forward knocking Bart and Victor out of the way as he hugged her. “You’re alive!” He said as he lifted her off the ground slightly.

Chloe let out a startled noise and Bart chuckled. “We have to celebrate, we should go out Bossman, but first you gotta tell us what happened.” He said waiting for AC to let her down. When he did Chloe pursed her lips.

She glanced at Oliver before taking a deep breath and looking back at the guys. “It started with AC getting hurt,” she said before launching into her story about the threats and faking her own death and then helping them with information when she could. When Chloe was finally done telling them everything she paused and waited for their reaction.

Oliver kept his face as neutral as possible. He knew the guys looked to him for leadership and guidance more often than not, but he did not want to sway their opinions on this. Once again, he could practically feel how nervous Chloe was, but he knew this was something she needed to do on her own.

"Wow," Victor said quietly. That was a lot to take in, but he supposed it made sense. He glanced at Oliver and recognized his carefully constructed poker face. If Victor had to guess, he would say the other man was probably hurt and upset, but he also knew Oliver wasn't going to vocalize that in front of the team. Victor turned back to Chloe. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, but it's good to have you back. You are back, right?" he asked.

Chloe smiled and nodded, “I’m back, for good.” she said as she held Victor’s gaze for a moment before Bart cleared his throat to get her attention. She glanced in his direction and he smiled.

“So where exactly were you all this time?” He asked curious. He was glad to have Chloe back and he knew Oliver was probably pretty happy about it too, but he couldn’t help being nosy.

Chloe hesitated, “All over really. I stayed in California for a while then the surrounding states and then Kansas she glanced briefly at Oliver out of the corner of her eye. She had never been that far from him, but she didn’t say that.

“We’re glad you’re back Chloe,” AC said when she finished speaking. “It wasn’t the same without you. Does this mean you guys are moving back home?” He asked a grin on his face as he glanced between Oliver and Chloe not noticing the way she shifted as uncertainty flittered across her face.

"We'll see," Oliver replied. "I'm tied to Metropolis for the time being with some business stuff at Queen Industries, but things are sort of up in the air at the moment," he said. Oliver figured that was a good enough answer for the time being. The guys seemed receptive to Chloe being back and there was no reason to bring the mood down because of his issues.

Bart arched an eyebrow, “Well then why doesn’t Chloe come back here and you can handle your business stuff and meet us out here,” he said lightly.

AC nodded, “We miss you walking us through patrol, plus Watchtower has no snacks,” he said and Bart snorted and nudged the other man. AC nudged him back.

Chloe unconsciously shifted towards Oliver, not liking the idea of coming back to Star City without him. She’d already spent a year away; she didn’t want to add any time to that. She hesitated before speaking, “I don’t know if that’s the best idea,” she said letting her voice trail off.

"Chloe is staying with me," Oliver told him, his voice firm, making it clear there was no room for discussion on the matter. "We might be back here sooner rather than later, depending on a few factors. But things will work the same way they did before once Chloe is ready to go back to work," he said. They had traveled in the past for missions or for business reasons and she'd handled Watchtower duties remotely. If she decided to stay in Metropolis, Oliver figured they could just do that again.

Chloe relaxed beside Oliver and nodded. "Ollie is right. I can absolutely walk you guys through patrol and stuff from wherever we are." She said with a small smile.  
  
Bart pouted, "That's not fair," he said and sent Oliver a playful glare. "Why do you get to hog her?" He asked jokingly. AC chuckled at Bart's words and shook his head.

Oliver simply raised an eyebrow at the younger man, not bothering to respond to his comment. "So what's been going on the past few days?" he asked, "Anything we need to know about?"

Victor shook his head. He wasn't surprised that Chloe was going to stay with Oliver. After the past year, he'd be surprised if Oliver ever let Chloe out of his sight again. "Things have been quiet. I'm still logging all the stuff from the takedown and working on a few possibilities, but nothing concrete yet," he said.

AC nodded in agreement. "It's been slow, which is why I was heading out to a rally." He commented. Bart just grunted in agreement.  
  
Chloe tilted her head to the side and glanced at Victor. "If you need any help with that, I'm around." She said with a small smile. She missed helping with team stuff and was glad Oliver was still letting her help.

"I might just take you up on that," Victor said. "I'll send you some specs for the things I've been working on," he offered. "Or Ollie could just bring you up to speed," he suggested.

Oliver nodded. "I can do that, but you should send the specs too so Chloe has all the information." Some of the tension he'd been holding onto was starting to ease as they fell into their old routines. It almost felt like things were on their way back to being normal.

Bart zipped around the room appearing next to Oliver and then Victor and then back. "Now that we've got out of the way, how about some celebrating?" he asked with a grin. "Because I'm starving."  
  
AC rolled his eyes, "You're always starving."  
  
Chloe chuckled, her heart warming. "You guys have no idea how much I missed you," she said with a grin glad that the team didn't seem upset with her. If only it had been that easy with Oliver. But she understood why it wasn't.

"I suppose I can buy you guys lunch, but don't think this is going to become a habit," Oliver warned. "We're going to order pizza," he added quickly before they could start in on their demands. He knew how they would just argue about food for a half hour otherwise. "I'll place the order." He motioned toward the hallway and headed in that direction to get away from the noise. He had to admit, it was nice being back with the team, even if they were already getting on his nerves.

______

 

Chloe shifted in her sleep her body thrashing slightly. He was chasing her again. Her breathing was heavy as she ran down the empty street, fear filling her entire body. Her legs burned as she pushed herself further trying to get away from him but he was everywhere. She turned the corner and she was no longer on the street but in a corridor. She knew this corridor.  A lump formed in her throat and she glanced behind herself.

He was gaining on her. She turned back and slammed right into two guards. They wore head to toe black fatigues and she screamed, struggling in their arms as they dragged her towards the room with the metal table. “No, please no…no more. Let me go….” Her mind screamed for Clark knowing he had some kind of power and wishing, praying he was looking for her.

“Please…please,” They strapped her down and she saw him in the doorway eyes cold, grin on his lips. “I hate you,” she shouted, “You don’t have to do this,” A different tactic, but it never worked just like the rest. Sometimes it only made the pain worse. Chloe’s face screwed up in pain as she jerked against the sheets, sweat marring her brow as her screams echoed down the hallway while she was in the midst of her nightmare.

Oliver shot up in bed when he heard Chloe screaming and he quickly pushed the covers aside and rushed down the hall. He went into the guest room, his heart leaping into his chest when he saw her thrashing back and forth in her bed, screaming, as tears rolled down her face. Oliver went to her side, sitting down on the bed as he gripped her shoulders and shook her gently. "Chloe, wake up," he said. "Chloe, I need you to wake up and look at me. Chloe," he said again.

“NO!” She shouted as her hand came out and knocked into him, her eyes shooting open at the pressure she felt on her shoulders as she gasped. Chloe gripped Oliver tightly her eyes taking a minute to adjust to the darkness in the room. She sucked in several sharp breaths as she tried to get her breathing under control. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she repeated, her tone holding a hint of breathlessness to it.

"Shh, it's okay," Oliver said as he shifted closer to her, running his hand over her arms as he saw the wild look in her eyes. "Everything is okay. You were just having a nightmare," he told her quietly. Oliver tightened his grip on her, his other hand going to her face to brush her hair back. "You're safe, Chloe."

Oliver’s voice broke through the haze and she gripped him tightly. “Ollie,” she said before swallowing hard and leaning into him. It had been a long time since she’d woken up to anyone in the middle of a nightmare. For the past year she’d been on her own and every time she woke up it took hours to calm herself down enough to go back to sleep. One time the manager of one of the motels she stayed at even banged on her door to find out what was going on. It hadn’t been pretty.

"I'm right here, Chloe," Oliver said. He wrapped both his arms around her, shifting a little to pull her even closer. He could hear the fear that was still in her voice and he gently stroked his hand over her head. "No one is going to hurt you, I promise. I'm not going to let anything happen to you," he assured her.

Chloe wrapped her arms around him and held on to him. “I missed you so much,” she whispered as she let the tears fall. It took her a few minutes to calm down, but when she finally did she shifted back and held his gaze, her breathing more regulated now. “I didn’t mean to cry all over you,” she commented quietly. “I’m sorry I woke you,” she said as she let her hand trail down his back.

"Don't apologize," Oliver replied. He brushed his hand over her face, wiping away her tears. "Did you have a lot of nightmares while you were gone?" he asked. Oliver hated the idea of her being scared and alone, especially since he imagined that things were probably a lot harder for her when she was on the road and trying to stay hidden. 

Chloe hesitated. She didn’t want to lie to him, but she also didn’t want him to worry too much. She was torn. “A few,” she said softly as she leaned into his touch. She was quiet for a second. “It was hard without you,” she whispered as she ran a hand down his arm. She watched him for a minute before biting her lip. “Will you stay with me?” She asked softly, “It’s okay to say no if you’d rather not…I would understand.”

"I can stay," Oliver said. He kept his arms around her as he shifted on the bed so he was leaning against the headboard and he pulled Chloe close to him. "I'm sorry you had to go through that alone, Chloe. I'm sorry about all of this. I should have done a better job keeping you safe," he admitted quietly. Oliver knew she was going to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but he also knew that it was. She should have been able to count on him and not have had to risk her life to keep him safe.

Chloe shifted slightly so she was pressed against his side, her body finally relaxing into him. “You need to stop apologizing,” she said softly. “It’s my fault I went through it alone and you always do an amazing job of protecting me…for once I needed to protect you.” She admitted quietly. “I’m not sure you know how much you mean to me. The thought of something bad happening to you…it would crush me Ollie.” Her voice was soft as her grip tightened on him.

“I literally couldn’t bare it, but the more I’m here with you, the more I’m starting to realize there might have been a different way to handle the situation.” She told him quietly as she let her hand fall to his chest.

Oliver raised an eyebrow at that; surprised that Chloe would admit that she might not have made the best choice. His grip on her automatically tightened, but he was quiet for a few minutes as he tried to gather his thoughts. "I don't think you realize how much you mean to me either, Chloe. I went through hell this past year because I felt like I should have died too because I didn't know how to go on without you. I didn't want to," he told her. "Honestly, I'm not sure I would have if it hadn't been for my need to find the people who took you from me," he added, knowing how easy it would have been for him to fall into a downward spiral.

"I know you were trying to protect me and I understand that because I would do anything to protect you, but part of the reason all of this hurt so much is we're supposed to be a team. Us and the guys, but more than that, you and me. It's always been us, Chloe. I wish you would have come to me instead of running away, but I know why you did it." Oliver knew they couldn't change the past and he needed to accept it and move on. 

"I miscalculated," she admitted. Chloe hadn't realized just how strong her feelings for Oliver were at the time. She hadn't realized how miserable she would be without him. The more time she spent with him now that she was back the more she realized, that while she had made the best decision she could at the time, the one that made the most sense to keep him safe because that had been her only priority.  
  
"We are a team and from here on out all decisions I make will be with you Oliver," she tilted her head up so she could meet his gaze so he knew she was serious. Chloe slid her hand down until it rested against his stomach. "I don't want to lose you again," she whispered. 

His muscles clenched beneath her touch as something completely unexpected moved through him. Oliver swallowed hard and immediately pushed the feeling aside, blaming it on lack of sleep. "You won't lose me, Chloe," he told her as he brushed his hand over her cheek. "I promise."

Chloe leaned into his touch and nodded. She held his gaze and shifted, "Will you stay in here tonight?" She asked softly. It wasn't uncommon for her and Oliver to occasionally share a bed when she had a nightmare or when they fell asleep watching movies. Sometimes he'd sleep above the covers other times he would just stay until she fell asleep. But tonight it felt different, she felt different.

"I'll stay with you," Oliver said. He felt like there was something different in the air between them, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Or maybe he didn't want to figure out what it was, he thought before he once again pushed it aside. He shifted onto his side, stretching out next to her. "Get some sleep, Sidekick," he said quietly.

Chloe hesitated, "Ollie," she said his name softly and turned on her side. "Would it be okay if I came over there?" She whispered.

"Yeah," Oliver replied without hesitation. He waited for her to move closer and he wrapped his arms around her again, settling her body against his. It wasn't the first time he'd held her by any means, but once again, there was something different about it.

Chloe pressed herself into him and let her eyes flutter shut as her body finally relaxed. "Thanks for being here," she said softly, "Night Ollie."

______

 

It was just after one in the morning when Oliver landed on the balcony, cut his zip line and quickly made his way back into the penthouse. Patrol had been brutal for some reason and he'd stopped more muggings, carjackings and other crimes in one night than he had in the past two weeks. He wasn't sure if there was something in the water or what, but he didn't like it. He walked through the dark penthouse, opened the door to his equipment room and started pulling off the pieces of his uniform, his muscles stiff from all the lingering tension. Oliver placed everything in its rightful spot and pulled on a pair of sweatpants.

He stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him and turned to head for his room when he collided hard with Chloe. Oliver reached out to steady her, catching her before she lost her balance. "Are you okay? I didn't see you," he apologized quickly.

Chloe glanced up and smile, "Yeah I'm okay, no worries--" She paused when she got a good look at him and frowned. "Are _you_ okay?" She asked as she ran a hand over his naked chest cataloging the bruises there "Rough night?" She'd been awake waiting for him to come home not wanting to head to bed until she knew he was alright.

"I'm fine," Oliver replied quickly, all too aware that her hand was on his bare skin. He wasn't sure what his problem was, but ever since the night Chloe had asked her to stay with him, he felt like he was very aware each and every time she touched him. He wasn't complaining, but he also wasn't sure what to make of the fact that his skin was warm beneath her hand. "It was a busy night, but nothing I couldn't handle. What are you doing up?" he asked.

Chloe arched an eyebrow at his quick answer, but let it go and nodded before pulling her hand away. "I couldn't sleep." She said softly. "Plus its possible I wanted to make sure you got home okay," she said with a small smile.

Oliver returned her smile. "Thanks for the concern, but I'm here in one piece. Mostly," he said as he glanced down at the bruises on his chest.

"I'm glad," she said lightly, "I like you in one piece." She teased as she shifted on her feet. Chloe glanced around and motioned towards the stairs, "Are you heading to bed?" She asked softly, not wanting to keep him up and yet at the same time not wanting to let him leave.  
  
Waking up in Oliver arms the other morning had been more than just pleasant. It had been amazing. She had been content. It was something she didn't feel normally, but Oliver always changed that.

Oliver shook his head. "I'm beat, but I know if I try to go to bed now, my brain won't rest," he said. His adrenaline levels still needed to calm down. "I'm actually kind of hungry so I think I'll heat up some of that leftover Chinese food and watch a movie or something." He reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "You're welcome to join me if you want."

Chloe's heartbeat picked up speed and she unconsciously shifted closer to him as her face brightened. "That sounds like a good plan Hero." Her words were soft and she reached forward letting her hand rest on his chest again. "Why don't I go heat up the food and you can pick out the movie?" She said as she tilted her head to the side. "I know, you're shocked I'm letting you pick the movie." She teased.

"Hey, there's a first time for everything," Oliver said with a wink. He nodded toward the living room. "I'll meet you in there." He made his way down the hallway, pausing beside the DVD case to find a movie. He grabbed The Hangover, since it was their usual go to movie and placed it in the DVD player, cuing it up to the beginning as he took a seat on the couch. His body was still a little sore, but he relaxed against the leather while he waited for Chloe.

It didn't take Chloe long to put two plates together and heat them up. She made her way towards the living room glad that things between her and Oliver were finally starting the thaw out. She had missed him more than she cared to admit and maybe just maybe if he could forgive her they could move forward. Together.  
  
She stepped into the living room and held out a plate to Oliver. She frowned slightly when he winced. "You're pretty sore," she commented as she sat down next to him. "Maybe if you play you're cards right Hero, I'll massage some of those knots out for you when you're done eating," she teased as she folded her legs under her and leaned against the couch winking at him as humor dancer in her eyes.

"I would gladly pay you a small fortune for that," Oliver replied. He hit the button to start the movie, but kept the volume low, knowing they wouldn't be paying attention anyway. "Thanks for taking care of that food," he added as he picked up the egg roll on his plate and took a bite.

They ate quietly for a few minutes, the movie playing in front of them. Oliver had lost track of the number of times they'd done this over the years; had leftovers and watched movies when he came back wound too tight after patrol or when Chloe didn't want to sleep because she had too many nightmares. When she'd been gone, he'd thought about nights like this and wished he hadn't taken them for granted.

"Jeez if microwaving left over Chinese makes you happy I might keep you," She joked as she twirled some lo mein around on her fork and ate it. "And for the record because I like you, I won't charge you a small fortune...maybe just a couple of thousand," she teased as she ate another bite full of food. Chloe had forgotten just how much she had missed nights like these.

"That's so very generous," Oliver deadpanned as he arched an eyebrow at her. "I might even have to give you a break on your rent. Oh, wait..." He gave her a look and shook his head, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from smiling.

Chloe chuckled. "It seems silly to pay rent. That would be like recycling money. You pay me, I get the money and then pay you for rent?" She asked and rolled her eyes good naturedly as she leaned forward and put her plate down. It turned out she wasn't as hungry as she thought she was.  
  
She motioned for him to angle his body. "I'm done eating," she said lightly as she shifted toward him. "Let's have that back of yours and see if we can't make you feel better."

"That seems like faulty logic," Oliver teased. He leaned forward and set his plate down on the table and then shifted so his back was turned to her. "But I suppose since I like having you around and you are offering to help me, I can live with it," he teased. They both knew that he'd never take money from her, even if he wasn't paying her salary. 

Chloe shifted onto her knees behind him and slid her hand up his back, dragging her thumbs along his spine until she reached his shoulders. She pressed her hands into his shoulders kneading the muscles there as she moved her thumbs in circular motions.   
  
Chloe leaned forward slightly letting her eyes drop to his shoulders taking in the expanse of skin in front of her. She swallowed hard using some of her body weight to knead the muscles there as she slipped another hand down his back. "How's that?" She asked softly as her hands continued to move against his skin.

"Good, really good," Oliver replied, his voice deeper than normal. It was probably too good. His heart was starting to beat fast again and it had nothing to do with adrenaline. He swallowed hard, closing his eyes for a moment and doing his best to relax under her touch and not think about how good it felt.

This was Chloe. She was his best friend, his sidekick; this wasn't the first time she'd had her hands on his bare skin. She'd cleaned his wounds before and she had given him massages in the past, but he'd never quite had this reaction to one. Oliver wanted to chalk it up to being overtired, but he was starting to think it was more than that and he didn't know what to do about it. 

“Good,” she said as she let her hand trail the length of his back again before shifting it back to his shoulders and while the other worked the base of his neck. “You’re tense tonight,” she said her voice soft as she enjoyed the feel of his muscles moving beneath her palm. She had the strongest urge to brush her lips against the small bruise on his shoulder blade, but she knew it probably wasn’t appropriate.

Part of her was having a hard time caring. She leaned forward slightly so she could use more pressure and the front of her nightgown brushed against his back. “I was thinking maybe you and I could do something this weekend,” she said her tone light. “This is going to sound silly, but I really miss spending time with you Ollie,” her voice was near his ear now and she couldn’t help the way her heart skipped a beat at how close they were.

"I am a little tense," Oliver said. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, doing his best not to think about how good her hands felt on his back. He turned a little so he could look at Chloe over his shoulder and he was surprised to see just how close she was to him. Oliver swallowed hard again, his eyes finding hers. "That sounds really nice, Chloe," he agreed. His voice was still huskier than usual and he was tempted to reach out and touch her, but he didn't think that would be right. "I've missed spending time with you too. More than I can say," he admitted, his eyes never leaving hers.

Chloe’s hand’s paused as she held his gaze. “Me too,” she told him as her heartbeat echoed in her ears. Her hand shifted and rested against his side. “What are you thinking about?” She asked her voice lower than normal as her fingers brushed against the skin of his side.

"You," Oliver admitted. He gave into the urge and reached out, cupping her cheek in his hand as he brushed his thumb over her chin. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I know I hurt you when you came back and I was angry with you. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did," he said. 

Chloe’s expression softened and she shook her head even as she leaned into his touch. “You had every right to be upset, I hurt you too. I’m sorry,” she said repeating his words as she turned her head and pressed a light kiss to his palm not able to help herself. “But I’m never going to hurt you again.” She said softly as she held his gaze.

Oliver nodded. "You did," he agreed. "But I know you weren't trying to hurt me or to make things harder on me. I know you were trying to protect me, just like I'm always trying to protect you. I never want to lose you again, Chloe," he said as he leaned closer and pressed a kiss to her cheek, letting his lips linger against her skin.

Chloe’s eyes fluttered shut briefly as her heart thudded loudly against her chest. He was practically facing her now, his back against the couch once again as she kneeled beside him. “You won’t,” she said as she rested a hand against his chest. Her eyes opened and she watched him quietly for a minute, her thumb brushing the skin of his chest. “Ollie,” she said his name tumbling off her lips as a question.

He was having a hard time reading her or maybe he wasn't and she was thinking the same thing he was. Oliver watched her for a moment, noting that her eyes were wide, but they focused on his, her hand absently rubbing his chest. His hand was still on her cheek and he slid it into her hair, teasing the tresses around his fingers.

"Chloe," he said, not sure what to do. His eyes dropped to her lips for a moment as everything inside of him screamed that he should kiss her, but Oliver knew that wasn't a good idea. They were friends and it was late and signals or wires or something were obviously getting crossed. But he made no move to put distance between them, continuing to play with her hair.

Chloe swallowed hard enjoying the feel of his hand in her hair. She saw his eyes drop and the action alone made her heart skip a beat. She wanted him to kiss her, it was something she’d been wanting since she got back, but she was having a hard time reading him and she wasn’t sure smacking one on him would work in her favor. “Stay with me tonight,” she whispered.

Those same warning bells were going off in his head, but Oliver didn't hesitate to answer her. "Okay," he agreed. "Do you want to go to bed now?" he asked. Neither of them were paying attention to the movie and what was left of the food was probably cold already.

Chloe shrugged, “If you’re tired,” she said her gaze never leaving his face. She brushed her hand across his stomach again her thumb brushing the bottom of his bruise. “Do you need anything for these?” She asked her gaze finally dropping to the light bruising on his chest as her hand continued to move across his skin.

Oliver shook his head, his muscles once again tensing beneath her gentle touch. "No, they don't really hurt," he said as he looked down, watching her hand move over him before he met her gaze once more. "Let's go upstairs," he said.

Chloe nodded as she shifted and pushed herself off the couch before turning to face him and sending him a light smile. She held out a hand to him and tilted her head to the side. “My bed or yours?” She asked the question and it sent a thrill through her body that once again made her heartbeat speed up.

He raised an eyebrow as he got up, taking her hand. "Why don't we switch it up for a change? You can sleep in my bed," Oliver said. He brushed his thumb over hers, his eyes never leaving her face. That electricity seemed to be crackling in the air between them again and he wasn't sure what it meant.

Chloe shifted closer to him, the feel of his thumb caressing hers sending warmth through her body. “I like that idea,” she told him softly, but didn’t move towards the stairs. She ran her free hand down his arm and bit her lip. “I know I’ve said this before, but Ollie,” she paused and held his gaze. “I really missed you,” Her hand moved down his chest again of its own accord. Chloe couldn’t seem to stop herself from touching him even though she knew she probably shouldn’t.

"I missed you too, Chloe," Oliver said. He took a step closer to her, leaving next to no space between them as he rested his hand on her hip, squeezing her gently through the silk she wore. "Thank you for coming home," he said quietly as he brought his other hand up to her cheek again, tilting her head back a little so she was looking at him.

“Metropolis isn’t home Ollie,” she said softly while holding his gaze. “You are,” she admitted quietly, not sure what had come over her. But she needed him to know that she hadn’t come back because she missed the team or the life, even though she had. She came back to him, sought him out. She could have easily gone back to Star City and to the team and had them call him home, but she didn’t. She went to Metropolis because that’s where he was and the whole time she was gone all she wanted was to be with him. “I came back to _you_.”

"I know you did," Oliver replied. Even though he'd been angry, he knew what it meant for her to come back to Metropolis after all these years. It had been a huge risk for her and she'd done it without hesitating because she'd wanted him to know that she was alive. It was the same reason she'd left Star City with him again. It was more than just them being a team. "Chloe..." His voice trailed off, his eyes once again drifting to her lips.

Chloe could see the uncertainty in his eyes. He wasn’t ready; at least she didn’t think he was. She honestly wasn’t sure. She knew what she wanted though, but she could wait. Chloe reached up and gripped the back of his neck lightly as she pushed herself onto her toes. She pressed her lips against the corner of his mouth, letting them linger there briefly. She pulled back her feet flattening on the floor again as she caught his gaze. “It’s late...Take me to bed?” she whispered as her hand rubbed against his chest gently.

He recognized the out that she was giving him and even though a large part of him thought he was being a coward, Oliver was going to take it. "Gladly," he said with a smile as he reached for her hand again and gently tugged her with him toward the stairs. Oliver was starting to see that things had changed for Chloe and he could admit they'd changed for him too. Or maybe the underlying feelings had always been there, just waiting to be acknowledged. But something was stopping him from doing just that and Oliver wasn't sure he was ready to figure out what that was.


	8. Chapter 8

Chloe stared at herself in the mirror yanking at the deep green sweater she wore. She wasn’t sure why she cared so much what she looked like, it wasn’t like Clark and Lois would care. She let out a sigh and ran her hand through her curls as she turned to the side. It had been about two weeks since they’d been back in Metropolis and she and Oliver discussed it and came to the conclusion that it was time to fill Lois and Clark in on the fact that she was alive.

So, Oliver had invited them over for dinner since they had apparently been bugging him about getting together recently anyway. Chloe still wasn’t completely sure she wanted to do this, but Oliver promised he would be by her side the whole time. A small smile curved at her lips at the thought of Oliver. Things between them lately had been going well.

Chloe wasn’t exactly sure what was going on with them, but she was okay with things for the time being. As long as he wasn’t angry at her and she could be close to him, things would be okay. She shook herself out of her thoughts and let out a huff as her eyes moved down to her jeans. Maybe she should wear something else.

Her stomach was tied in knots and she could feel the anxiety building inside of her. She glanced towards her open bedroom door and bit her lower lip. “Ollie, can you come here for a sec?” She called.

"I'll be right there!" Oliver called back from his room. He'd gotten home a little later from the office than he'd planned and he was really glad he'd decided to order dinner instead of cooking it. He didn't mind cooking, but he figured no one would be that interested in food once Lois and Clark found out that Chloe was alive. Oliver had no idea how any of this was going to go. He was concerned Lois and Clark's reaction might be a lot similar to his own when he'd found out Chloe had faked her death. But he also believed that like him, they would get over it eventually and just be glad she was back.

He pulled on a black button-down shirt to go with the jeans he'd changed into and buttoned it as he moved down the hall to Chloe's room. "What's up, Sidekick?" he asked. Oliver knew she was nervous and he really hoped she wasn't changing her mind. He'd already had to talk her back into doing this twice since the decision had been made.

She turned to face him. “Do I look okay?” She asked quietly before quickly turning back towards the mirror. “You know…maybe this was a bad idea,” she said letting her voice trail off as fear joined the anxiety and nervousness in her stomach. If she faced them it would be like taking her old life back and Chloe wasn’t sure she ever wanted to do that. The thought alone terrified her.

"You look great," Oliver assured her. He moved to stand behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest as he met her gaze in the mirror. "Green has always been your color," he teased, hugging her a little tighter as he tried to get her to relax. "I know you're nervous, Chloe, but I really think you're going to feel better once they know the truth. I'm going to be with you the entire time," he promised.

Chloe leaned back into him and met his gaze in the mirror. “I’m scared Ollie,” she whispered her hands falling on his. “I haven’t...it’s been so long.” She said as she swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “Thank you for being here for me and doing this, just thanks for being you.” She closed her eyes for a second before turning slowly in his arms so she was facing him.

She gripped his waist lightly with one hand as the other fell to his chest and reflexively smoothed out his shirt. “You won’t leave me alone with them right?” She asked as she peered up at him from beneath her lashes.

"I would never leave you alone," Oliver replied. He kept one arm around her waist, his other hand going to her cheek. "It's going to be okay. You can make them understand why you didn't feel safe here. Even if they're upset, they're still going to be happy to have you back. Trust me," he added with a smile. "I have some experience in this area."

Chloe’s expression softened, “Yeah?” She asked a small grin on her face as she leaned into his touch. “You’re not still upset with me Hero, are you?” She inquired softly as she let her fingers brushed against his shirt again. She couldn’t believe she was standing there flirting with Oliver, but it was sort of their thing now, a part of her wondered if it had always been like this and they hadn’t realized it. She supposed it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she realized it now.

"Probably not as upset with you as I should be," Oliver replied. He gently stroked his fingers across her hip. "But for some reason, I can't seem to stay mad at you. Any idea why that is?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

Chloe grinned, “Because I’m awesome?” She asked a hint a amusement in her gaze as she studied his expression her head tilted slightly to the side as a small smile played on her lips, her body relaxing finally as some of the tension left her.

"That's one word for what you are," Oliver replied. He tapped his finger against her nose. "Now, I ordered food from that Italian place and it should be here soon. This is going to be great. Trust me," he added.

Chloe’s smile faltered slightly. “I do trust you,” she said softly it was everyone else she was having trouble trusting even though she wasn’t sure why. As if on cue the elevator buzzed and Chloe’s entire body tensed as she glanced over Oliver’s shoulder. Her heartbeat picked up speed and her grip on him tightened. “Do you think that’s them?” She asked quietly.

Oliver nodded. "I'm sure it is. This is going to be fine," he told her again. "I'm going to prep them the best I can." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm going to be with you the whole time, okay? It's all going to work out." He gave her a hug and then stepped back, sending her a reassuring smile. "I'll let them in," he said. Oliver left Chloe in her room and made his way downstairs, pausing by his desk to check the security feed. He hit the button to let Lois and Clark in and moved toward the elevator to greet them as the doors slid open. "Hey guys, thanks for coming," he said.

Even though he'd never admit it to Chloe, Oliver was nervous too. He really liked Lois and Clark and he'd been deceiving them since the day they'd met. Oliver wouldn't blame them for being angry with him when they learned the truth.

"Hey Ollie," Lois replied as she stepped into the apartment with Clark right behind her. "It was nice of you to invite us over, especially since you kept canceling our plans," she teased. Lois glanced around the apartment, raising an eyebrow. "This place is nice, but really sparse. You are planning on staying in town, right?" she teased.

"I am," Oliver replied. "But I've been too busy to decorate." He turned to Clark and held out his hand. "Hey man, how's it going?" he asked.

Clark smiled and took Oliver’s hand shaking it lightly. “Hey, it’s going good.” He said as he released his hand and placed his other one at the small of Lois’s back as he let his gaze wander around the apartment. “Lois is right you’ve got a nice place. I’ve got to admit I was surprised when you invited us over,” he said honestly. Oliver had been dodging their dinner invitations for a while now.

"Yeah, that's actually why I invited you over." Oliver motioned for them to have a seat on the couch. Once they did, he took the chair across from them. Oliver had never been a beat around the bush kind of guy and he didn't see any reason to start now. "I've already told both of you about being Green Arrow and the team that I work with. You know I have a history with Lex and that my team spent years taking down his 33.1 labs." He paused, giving them a moment to absorb that. "But what I didn't tell you was that a few years ago, I found a woman who was being held prisoner in one of those labs." He glanced at Lois. "It was your cousin Chloe," he told her.

Lois's mouth dropped open as familiar pain burned in her chest. Her hand automatically tightened on Clark. "You found Chloe?" she asked. Her voice shook a little and she forced herself to relax. "I don't understand. I mean, we thought Lex might have had something to do with her disappearance, but..." Her voice trailed off and she looked at Clark for help.

Clark frowned, his body tensing. “No…that can’t be right.” He said quickly. “Lex helped us search for Chloe and then when we realized that he might be involved I looked. I checked everywhere I could find.” He said his chest tight. They had searched the mansion, Luthor Corp, even a few 33.1 labs in and around Metropolis.

Clark had looked everywhere for her and then there had been the thing with the dental records and he and Lois had finally tried to put Chloe to rest. “That doesn’t make sense…if you found her she would have gotten in touch with us,” He said his voice harder than he’d intended, but Lois didn’t need this, not  after everything they’d been through.

Oliver did his best to ignore Clark's tone, understanding why he was upset. "When we found Chloe, she'd been tortured and she was scared. It took her a week to tell me her first name and a hell of a lot longer than that for her to trust me." His chest tightened as he remembered how scared she'd been back then and the wall that she'd kept around herself. That had lasted for a long time. "Eventually, she told me everything and Chloe was afraid that if she came back to Metropolis or even let you know that she was okay that Lex would find out about it and come after you. She wanted to keep you safe," he said. 

Lois shook her head as she tried to comprehend what Oliver was telling her. "So you're saying that Chloe survived and you know where she is? Why wouldn't you say something sooner? I don't understand, Oliver," she said, confused. She wanted to believe that Chloe was alive and she supposed Oliver's explanation made some sense, but Lex was dead; he had been for years. 

"I know it's a lot to take," Oliver said. "Before I moved here, there were some incidents in Star City. Several members of the team were attacked and Chloe healed them. That's the meteor power that she has, the one Lex was trying to get her to use for his benefit," he added. "Anyway, there was an explosion and I thought..." His voice wavered as the pain tightened in his chest. "I thought Chloe had died. That's why I ended up leaving Star City because I couldn't handle being around all the memories because I missed her so much."

"So now you're telling us my cousin is dead?" Lois asked. "What the hell, Oliver?" she demanded, her voice growing louder as she got to her feet. "Why would you tell us that she survived Lex only to let us know that she died again?" She didn't understand why he would put them through this, aside from easing his own conscience. 

Chloe could hear them yelling from where she was and she had meant to come out sooner, but the sound of her cousin’s voice had made her freeze. Now that Lois was yelling at Oliver though, she knew she needed to say something. Her chest was tight with anxiety but she pushed herself forward. The second she caught sight of Lois and Clark it felt like someone had punched her in the gut.

It took her several minutes to calm down and after sucking in a shaky breath she spoke before Oliver could say anything. “Because I didn’t…” Her voice was not as confident as she had intended it to be and when three sets of eyes turned in her direction she couldn’t help taking a hesitant step back.

Chloe had no idea why being in the room with them terrified her so much, but she was pretty sure she was seconds from bolting as panic started to rise inside of her while they continued to stare, shock clearly written on both their faces.

"Chloe," Lois whispered, too shocked to do anything other than stare. She couldn't believe Chloe was really standing there and that she was alive. "I..." She swallowed hard and crossed the room to stand in front of her cousin. "You're really here," she said as tears welled in her eyes. "I can't believe it." She pulled Chloe into a tight hug.

Chloe tensed, but didn’t pull away she glanced at Oliver, her eyes wider than normal as she lifted a stiff arm and patted Lois’s back.

Clark was by their side in seconds, his chest tight as he watched them. “God Chloe,” he said before wrapping his arms around both of them relief filling him. He couldn’t believe she was really alive.

She didn’t know what to say. Chloe was suddenly feeling incredibly overwhelmed. She was incredibly glad to see them, but at the same time all she could think about was what happened and how they had given up looking for her. She shifted her gaze across the room, “Ollie,” She said the hint of panic in her eyes clear.

"It's okay, Chloe," Oliver said. He reached for her hand and gently tugged her away from Lois and Clark so he could wrap his arm around her. "I know you guys have a lot of questions and we'll explain everything the best we can, but why don't we sit down?" he suggested. Oliver kept his arm around Chloe, holding her to his side as they moved back toward the sitting area.

Lois didn't miss the rising panic in her cousin's voice and she did her best not to be hurt by the fact that Chloe seemed so distant. From what Oliver had said, Chloe had obviously been through hell more than once and the last thing Lois wanted to do was make things harder on her. She took Clark's hand as they walked back to the couch, but she kept her eyes on Chloe, offering her a small smile. "It's really good to see you, Chloe."

Clark could almost feel Lois’s hurt and he tightened his grip on her as they sat down on the couch. His gaze drifting back over to Chloe who stayed glued to Oliver’s side.

Chloe threaded their fingers together as her heart thumped quickly against her chest. She felt less suffocated for the moment and she returned her cousin’s smile with a hesitant one of her own. “It’s good to see you too Lois,” her gaze shifted to Clark. “You too, Clark.” She said taking him in. He looked so much older than the last time she’d seen him and it wasn’t until that moment that she realized how long it had really been.

Oliver squeezed Chloe's hand as he gently steered her into the chair, taking a seat on the arm beside her as he kept her hand in his. "As I was saying before, things got complicated last year. It turned out that one of the patients who had been in the lab with Chloe had turned to the dark side. He wanted her healing power and he was trying to scare her out into the open. Chloe wanted to keep me and the rest of the team safe so she made it look like she'd died and then she helped us bring the guy to justice. Once it was over, she came back," he explained. Oliver knew he was simplifying things, but he was pretty sure everyone was too shocked to care.

"So you faked your death twice," Lois said quietly. She wasn't sure what to think about that. She'd always known her cousin was the selfless type, but that really seemed to be going above and beyond. "Chloe, I'm sorry, I don't understand. Why didn't you tell us you were alive once we knew Lex was dead?" she asked.

Chloe frowned. “I didn’t fake my death twice.” She said a hint of defensiveness in her voice. “Lex took me.” She said her grip on Oliver’s hand tightening even more as she spoke. “By the time Oliver had rescued me I was already declared dead.” She said feeling slightly uncomfortable talking about this, but knowing she owed them an explanation.

Clark’s brows drew together, “Lois brings up a good point,” he said when Chloe didn’t actually answer her cousin’s question. “If you were afraid of Lex why didn’t you come back once he was gone? Why not tell us where you were, we could have helped.” He said his voice quiet.

Chloe pursed her lips. “It had been so many years, you guys had moved on,” she paused and shrugged, “And I didn’t plan on coming back here,” she said softly. Plus they had already stopped looking for her so she didn’t really see a point in going back to a place where everyone had given up on her.

"So if Oliver hadn't come here when he thought you were dead, you would never have told us you were alive?" Lois asked. She couldn't keep the hurt out of her tone. Chloe was so much more than her cousin, she was more of a sister to her than Lucy had ever been and she'd just let her think she was dead. 

"It's not that simple," Oliver interjected before Chloe had a chance to answer. "Trust me, as someone who has come back from the dead before, I can tell you that going home after everyone has moved on without you is not that easy. Chloe was put through hell," he stressed. "She thought she was doing what was best for everyone. She wasn't trying to hurt you," he added.

Clark frowned. “Then why isn’t _she_ telling us that.” He said his gaze moving from Oliver to Chloe. “What happened? Why didn’t you come back to Metropolis after Lex was declared dead? You’re my best friend Chloe you have to know you could have come to me and Lois.” He said confusion in his voice.

Chloe swallowed hard. “You don’t understand what it was like,” she said quietly not wanting to think about it. “When I was with Oliver and I realized how much time had passed…It seemed wrong to pop up out of nowhere and reopen old wounds.” Her gaze shifted to Lois. “You had moved to Smallville and I wasn’t sure why and then I saw you were writing for the Daily Planet…and Clark too.” She added when she glanced back at him.

“And not to be rude, but we were best friends,” she said her voice quiet, “You don’t know me anymore Clark. I’m not the same person I was back then. I’m not a kid anymore.” She told him. “I didn’t want to make things harder on you guys it just didn’t seem like the right thing to do.” She explained as best she could while her other hand found Oliver’s arm and rested there using his proximity to try and calm the anxiety building inside of her.

 She didn’t want to think about Lex or what happened there, the things she was forced to do or what they’d done to her. She wanted to forget about it, not rehash things.

Oliver shifted on the chair so he could wrap his arm around Chloe's shoulders. He wasn't sure how much he should get involved in the conversation, but he wanted Chloe to know that he was there if she needed him. So far things were going about as well as they'd expected them to. He could see Clark was upset and Lois was hurt and he knew Chloe was too. He knew she hadn't forgiven either of them for giving up on her.

Lois put her hand on Clark's arm, silently urging him to calm down. She didn't think getting upset was going to help anyone and she knew it would just make her cousin shut down. "Why did you decide to tell us now?" she asked. It was pretty obvious that Chloe was distancing herself and Lois didn't understand what had made her decide to tell them. She wondered if something else had changed or if maybe her cousin had finally just decided she missed them too much to stay away.

Chloe hesitated and glanced at Oliver briefly before turning back to Lois and Clark knowing what she was about to say was going to make her sound like a horrible person. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “After Oliver and the team caught the person who was after me I came back to Oliver.” She said as she leaned into his touch and wrapped her hand around his arm. “He’s staying here for a while…And he told me that he met both of you,” she paused again.

“I’m not leaving Oliver again and we would have run into each other eventually,” she said letting her voice trail off as guilt filled her chest.

Oliver automatically tightened his grip on her, knowing how hard it had to be for her to admit that if it wasn't for him, she never would have told them she was alive. "For what it's worth," he said, glancing between Lois and Clark, "I never intended to seek either of you out. It was just a fluke that Clark and I met and I didn't realize you were the reporter coming to interview me or I would have canceled," he told Lois. 

She nodded, but didn't respond for a moment. Chloe would have gone the rest of her life without telling them that she was alive. That hurt almost as much as the fact that she'd pretended to be dead in the first place. "Chloe, we've missed you every day you were gone," she said quietly. "I'm sorry if you ever thought otherwise."

Chloe was quiet for a minute. “If you guys missed me so much why did you stop looking for me?” She asked her voice quiet as her eyes drifted to Clark. “You took Lex at his word even after you knew the kind of man he was,” she said as her chest tightened. “Whenever I was hurt you were always there you always saved me.” She said attempting to keep the shakiness out of her voice. “I waited for days…weeks for you to come.” She said a lump forming in her throat. “But you never did and then I get out of there only to find out that neither of you were even looking for me. There was never a body. I would have kept looking until I found one.” She said as her breathing became heavy.

She couldn’t do this. She felt panic rising in her chest and stood abruptly. “I can’t do this,” she said before moving out of the room and heading for the bathroom.

Clark sat there guilt filling his chest as he hung his head in shame. Chloe was right, he knew she was. She never would have given up if it was him. He ran his hand over his face and did his best not to let the pain show on his face as he sat there.

Oliver gave Lois and Clark a tight smile. "I'm sorry," he said, not knowing what else to say. "Chloe loves both of you and she missed you a lot, but this is really hard for her. She's not trying to make you feel guilty," he added, recognizing that they both did.

"But she's being honest and she's going to need time. None of this is just going to magically snap back into place," he pointed out. Oliver wanted to go check on Chloe, but he knew she probably needed a few minutes. He also thought it might be a good idea to send Lois and Clark home. "I'm sorry, but I think we need to pick this up another time."

Lois opened her mouth to protest and then changed her mind. She'd seen the panic in Chloe's eyes before she'd run out of the room. "Okay," she agreed as she got to her feet and turned to Clark. "Come on, honey, let's go," she said.

Clark glanced at Lois and stood a frown on his face. “Shouldn’t we wait?” He asked as his eyes drifted to the doorway, “Make sure she’s okay?” He said as he swallowed hard and turned back to Oliver. “We didn’t know…If I had known I wouldn’t have left her there. I never would have left her,” he said quietly his chest tight as he wrapped an arm around Lois.

Oliver nodded. "I think everyone just needs time," he said again. "I'll take care of Chloe. We're going to be in Metropolis for the considerable future so we'll have dinner or lunch or something soon. Thanks for coming over," he added. Oliver was doing his best to keep his tone polite, but he wasn't above shoving them out the door if it meant he could go check on Chloe sooner. He didn't want to leave her alone for too long.

Lois took the hint. "Thanks, Oliver," she said as she took Clark's hand and tugged him toward the elevator. "We'll be in touch and tell Chloe...just tell her that we're here when she's ready," she said. She managed a small smile before she practically dragged Clark into the elevator. Lois's emotions were hanging on by a thread and she didn't want to fall apart in the middle of Oliver's living room.

"Take care, guys," Oliver said. The second the elevator doors closed, he moved toward the desk, hit the button to lock the elevator so they wouldn't be disturbed and then made his way down the hall, pausing outside the closed bathroom door. "Chloe, it's just me. Can you come out?" he called. 

Chloe sniffled as she shifted and reached up unlocking the door before moving over on the floor so the door didn't hit her when it opened. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she waited for Oliver to come in, completely embarrassed with her behavior.   
  
She shouldn't have said all those things, but it still hurt. Even Clark with all his super powers hadn't kept looking for her. She knew how much Lois loved her and she had missed her cousin, but it was just too much all at once.

Oliver heard her unlock the door so he turned the knob and stepped inside. His chest tightened when he saw her on the floor, her cheeks stained with tears. "I'm sorry, Chloe," he said as he moved further into the bathroom and sat down beside her, draping his arm over her shoulders. "I know that wasn't easy, but I'm proud of you for being honest," he said. 

Chloe shook her head. "I'm a horrible person," she said before a small sob left her throat. She shifted so she was leaning into Oliver. "How could I say that to them?" she asked between tears. "Lois is my family....Clark was my best friend. It's not their fault." She said as more tears filled her eyes. "I'm so sorry for running off." She whispered. "I just...I felt like I couldn't breathe."

"You don't have anything to apologize for," Oliver replied. He shifted so he was facing her and pulled her into his arms, leaning back against the wall as he held her tightly to his chest. "I know it hurts and I know you feel guilty, but it's better to be honest than to keep holding onto all that resentment. You have a right to be mad and so do they, but eventually, you're going to be okay. I promise," Oliver said as he tightened his grip on her, one of his hands sliding into her hair as he tried to soothe her. 

Chloe held onto him as she started to calm down. She leaned back slightly and cupped his cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without you Ollie." She said her voice soft. Chloe wiped her eyes again and met his gaze. "Thank you for always being my voice of reason." She said as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Oliver smiled as he brushed a few stray tears from her cheeks. "You're welcome, but I know you'd do the same for me. You have done the same for me," he corrected. Chloe had helped him more times than he could count over the years. "I meant what I said, Chloe. I'm always going to be here for you. All you have to do is tell me what you need," he promised. 

Chloe studied his face for a moment before caressing his cheek with her thumb. "You," she whispered, "All I need is you." she admitted feeling slightly better than she had a little while ago. She always felt better with Oliver.

"Well you're in luck because I'm right here," Oliver said. He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her thumb and then met her gaze. "Now, what do you say we take this party somewhere else? Dinner should be here any minute and since I'm such a generous guy, I'll let you pick out a movie for us to watch tonight," he teased. 

Chloe's expression softened. "Okay," she said quietly as she started to get up. She tilted her head to the side and held out a hand to him. She was emotionally exhausted and spending some alone time with Oliver sounded like the best idea. She would figure everything else out tomorrow.


	9. Chapter 9

Oliver shook his head as he reached for the remote and turned off the DVD player. "That's the last time you get to pick a movie, Sidekick," he said, sending Chloe a look. "That was terrible," he told her matter-of-factly. It was Sunday afternoon and since things had been quiet most of the week, they'd decided to stay in and watch movies.

"I think I should get to pick the movie for the next week, no, month to make up for that," he said. Oliver arched an eyebrow at her as he reached out and tugged on a piece of her hair. It had been a few days since Lois and Clark had come over and he knew Chloe was still having a hard time with everything that had happened. Oliver wanted to do what he could to keep her mind off it. 

Chloe pouted, "It wasn't that bad," she said and when he just looked at her she huffed. "Fine," she poked him in the chest. "You may pick the movie for two weeks, but that's it." She said sternly, though there was humor in her eyes. Oliver had been amazing these past few days and she really appreciated it.   
  
She shifted, lifted her legs, and plopped them down across Oliver's lap with a grin. "You're comfy," she said lightly.

"Oh, so now I'm a piece of furniture?" Oliver asked. He shook his head, sending her a stern look. "That's fine, Sidekick. I'm still going to pick the movie for two weeks and it will probably be some variation of Robin Hood each and every night." He grinned at her. 

Chloe let out a dramatic sigh."Because I don't have enough green hooded archery loving heroes in my life?" She asked with a grin as she went to move her legs off of him.

"Cute," Oliver replied. He placed his hand over her legs before she had a chance to pull away. "I'm really not feeling the appreciation lately, Sidekick. First, you make me watch a terrible movie. Then, you treat me like a piece of furniture and now you're mocking Robin Hood? Not cool," he told her matter-of-factly. He shifted quickly, pushing her back against the arm of the couch as he hovered over her, smirking at the surprised look on her face. "I know all your weak spots," he reminded her as he tickled her side, making her jump. 

Chloe giggled and squirmed as she pressed a hand against his chest "No, no...stop," She said as another laugh burst from her throat. "Ollie!" She squealed as she bitter lower lip and gripped his side. "I give," she gasped her cheeks flush as a grin pulled at her lips.

"Just like that?" Oliver asked as he tickled her side again. "Honestly, Chloe, I expected more of a fight. I guess this is just something else I will need to lord over you. Years from now, I'll be telling this story in team meetings. Remember that time all I had to do was tickle you and you bent to my will? Who knew you were so easy?" Oliver teased, grinning at her.

Chloe arched an eyebrow at Oliver, "Easy huh?" She shifted again and used her legs to push Oliver over. They rolled falling off the couch and onto the floor. Chloe let out an omph as she sat on top of him hands pressed against his chest. She watched him with amused eyes not missing the surprise on his face.  
  
She leaned over him and smirked. "Now who's easy?" She asked her face bright as her thumb unconsciously caressed his chest.

"That was pretty impressive, Sidekick," Oliver admitted. "I guess you have been paying attention all these years when I've tried to impart my wisdom on you," he teased. Oliver rested his hands on her hips as he looked up at her. "So now that you have me at your mercy, what do you plan to do with me?" he asked. 

"I have been," she commented his words sparking something inside of her as she glanced down at him. Chloe was very aware of his hands on her hips. Her heartbeat sped up and she watched him for a second hesitating before leaning down a pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth.   
  
She shifted carefully against him as she slid her hand down his chest. "Ollie," she whispered as her lips moved to his jaw, lingering there. Chloe had no idea what she was doing, but she knew she'd been dying to do it ever since she got back. She could hear her heartbeat echoing in her ears, but she ignored it and trailed her lips further down his jaw.

Oliver sucked in a sharp breath as her lips traveled over his jaw. The familiar alarm bells were sounding in his head and he could hear a voice screaming at him that they were just getting carried away. But he knew better than that; he knew it was so much more than that.

This had been building between them for a long time and ever since Chloe had come back, it had been getting harder and harder not to act on it. Oliver threaded his hand through her hair and gently tugged to pull her head away from his jaw. His eyes met hers and he just looked at her for a moment before he leaned up, closing the distance between them and covering her mouth with his. 

Chloe gasped into his mouth and then moaned softly as she moved her lips over his letting him deepen the kiss as she cupped his cheek. Her heart slammed against her chest as her lungs burned, but she didn't break the kiss just yet. She’d waited far too long for this and she wasn’t about to let it be over so soon.

She couldn't believe this was finally happening. Oliver was kissing her and god was she enjoying it. Chloe broke the kiss a second later and rested her forehead against his for a minute the feel of him so close sending waves of anticipation through her body. Chloe met his gaze and then captured his lips in a hungry kiss.

Oliver eagerly returned the kiss. His hand drifted to the small of her back and he pressed her body firmly against his as he let his other hand slide into her hair. He deepened the kiss once more, his tongue exploring the depths of her mouth as his entire body seemed to react to her. Kissing Chloe was even better than he'd imagined and he'd been imagining it a lot lately. She made a soft little noise and his heart started to beat even faster. Oliver let his hand slip beneath her shirt and he rubbed the sensitive skin of her lower back. His lungs were starting to burn for air, but he wasn't ready to stop.

He broke away to suck in a deep breath and then he dropped his head to her neck, trailing his lips over her skin. His heartbeat continued to echo loudly in his ears as his pulse raced as he captured her mouth once again.

Chloe moaned as she tilted her head slightly giving him better access to her neck. The feel of his lips against her skin and his hand rubbing her lower back made her body flush with heat. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been kissed with anything more than friendly intent and god if it wasn’t the best feeling ever. Chloe let her hand slide beneath his shirt, her fingers trailing over the skin, loving the way his muscles clenched beneath her palm.

She tightened her legs on either side of him as she let one hand continue caressing his skin while the other threaded through his hair. “Ollie,” she moaned his name as her body shifted lightly against his trying to get closer to him, even though Chloe was pretty sure that wasn’t possible.

Her fingers were moving over his skin, leaving a trail of heat in their wake and the sound of her moaning his name seemed to send his body into overdrive. Oliver ran his tongue over her throbbing pulse point and then lightly nipped at the skin, smirking against her neck when she jumped a little.

He shifted beneath her, his hands going to her hips again and then he sat up quickly and she ended up in his lap, intimately pressed against him. Oliver groaned at the sensation and then kissed her again, hungrily exploring her mouth while his hand moved under her shirt again, his fingers tracing her spine as his hips moved against hers on their own accord. "Chloe," he said, breathing heavy as he broke the kiss again and met her gaze. 

A soft moan left her throat at the feel of him pressed against her and she couldn’t help the way her hips rocked in response to his. Chloe cupped his cheek and let out a shaky breath. “I’ve been waiting,” she said as her lips found his jaw again, “It feels like it took forever for you to kiss me.” She whispered against his skin. She pulled back and caught his gaze as her thumb brushed against his cheek, “Don’t stop now,” she said before capturing his lips again even as her hips rocked forward again sending a wave of arousal through her body.

Oliver returned the kiss, even as he tried to process what Chloe was saying. She'd been waiting for him to kiss her. He wondered why she hadn't said anything, but what exactly was she supposed to say? He'd been having the same self-doubt the past few weeks as he'd become aware that his feelings were more than just that of friendship. But he couldn't really think about any of those things at the moment as Chloe shifted in his lap again and he groaned into her mouth. His hands found the hem of her shirt and he broke the kiss so he could tug it over her head, tossing it aside. 

He let his eyes trail over her and Oliver swallowed hard as he felt what was left of the blood in his head making a sudden move southward. "God, you're beautiful, Chloe," he told her as he leaned in and pressed a kiss against her heartbeat before his lips trailed along her collarbone, his hands moving lightly up and down her sides. 

Chloe shivered slightly at the feel of his hands moving down her sides, anticipation coursing through her. She couldn’t help the way her cheeks flushed at his words as her head tilted giving him better access to her neck, while her eyes fluttered shut. “I’m glad you think so,” she said her tone breathy as her eyes opened again.

She tugged his head away from her collarbone so she could meet his gaze, “Because I think you might be the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen,” She whispered slightly embarrassed by her words as she leaned in and kissed, moving her mouth over his fiercely as she cupped his cheek and arched into his body.

Oliver noticed the way her face flushed when she spoke, but he forgot about it the second she started kissing him again. He'd never had this kind of instant reaction to a kiss before and he knew it was happening because it was Chloe. She was so special to him and he wasn't sure she had any idea just how much he cared about her. He ran his hands over her sides again, this time, letting his fingertips brush against her breasts. When she shivered, he did it again until he could cup her breasts in his hands, his fingertips gently teasing her nipples as they pebbled beneath his touch. He felt her hips buck against his and his automatically moved off the floor to meet hers. 

Chloe gasped and arched into his touch as arousal coiled low in her belly. She felt like she was overheating and in the back of her head she knew they should probably talk about what was happening, but she didn’t want to. All she wanted was Oliver and all she seemed to be able to picture was him in varying states of undress.

Her stomach muscles clenched as she sucked in a sharp breath and threaded her hand through the back of his hair. “Ollie,” his name fell from her lips in a breathy moan as her head fell back slightly, moisture pooling in her panties. Chloe was pretty sure her body had never reacted like this to anyone, not that there were many. One to be exact, years ago in high school before Lex had taken her and it had been _nothing_ like this. Every part of her needed Oliver and she wasn’t sure what to make of that.

He lowered his head, his mouth trailing across her chest and over the tops of her breasts before he closed his mouth over her nipple, suckling her through the fabric of her bra. She arched into him and Oliver placed one of his hands on her back to give her extra support while his other hand continued to tease her neglected breast.

He was so turned on that he couldn't think straight, even as a quiet voice in the back of his head reminded him that he probably should be thinking about what he was doing. Chloe was his best friend and she was important to him and it probably wasn't a good idea to go from zero to eighty in a manner of seconds, but he couldn't help it.

Chloe let out a throaty moan as her hand tightened in his hair. “Oh, god.” His mouth on her breast sent shock waves of pleasure through her body. She couldn’t seem to stop the noises falling from her throat as her legs tightened on either side of him. The ache between her legs was growing and all she could do to try and stifle it was rock harder against him.

Pleasure was coming from so many different angles she was sure what to focus on. His mouth, his hands, the bulge she could feel against her center every time she moved against him. It had been too long since she’d had any kind of physical stimulation that it was completely overwhelming her sense. All she could focus on was the way Oliver was making her feel. Chloe was putty in his hands and she couldn’t even bring herself to care. “So good, please don’t stop,” she moaned again as she ground her hips against his.

Oliver groaned at the way she was rubbing herself against him. If she kept that up, there was a good chance he was going to embarrass himself. But that voice in his head was reminding him that Chloe deserved a lot more than just a quickie on the living room floor. They really needed to talk about this.

But instead of saying anything, Oliver trailed his lips across her skin taking her other nipple in his mouth. When she tightened her legs around him and rubbed against him again, Oliver slid his hand between them and ran it along her thigh, over the cotton shorts that she was wearing. His eyes met hers and he did it again, this time, slipping his hand beneath the hem to run along her bare skin.

Chloe whimpered, her leg shifting to give him better access. “Please,” she begged as she arched against him again. Her skin felt hot beneath his touch and her need for him was bordering on painful. “I need,” her words were cut off by a moan as he sucked harder on her nipple making her move her hips against his again.

He moved his hand higher, but their current position wasn't exactly ideal. Oliver shifted, gently easing Chloe off his lap so she was on the floor beside him. Keeping his eyes on hers, he slid his hand into the waistband of her shorts and tugged them down her legs before he ran his hand back up her leg, between her thighs and brushed it against the front of her panties making her jump.

Oliver groaned when he felt how wet she was through the fabric and he leaned in to kiss her again, his fingers gently stroking her slit as the sound of a phone vibrating loudly across the table pierced the air. 

Chloe froze, her lips against his, her arm gripping his waist, legs spread for him. She broke the kiss when the phone continued to vibrate cutting through the haze of lust surrounding her. Chloe’s hips moved of their own accord trying to increase the pressure of his hand against her. “Don’t get it,” she whispered even though she knew he needed to. Her chest rose and fell quickly, her breathing unsteady as her stomach muscles clenched with need. Her body ached for him and the last thing she wanted to do was stop.

"I'm sorry," Oliver replied. Even though the last thing he wanted to do was answer the phone, he had to because the team was in the middle of a mission and it had to be one of them calling because he had all his other calls set to automatically go to voicemail. He reluctantly moved away from Chloe and grabbed the phone from the coffee table. He glanced at the caller ID, pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear. "What's up, Vic?" he asked.

Victor raised an eyebrow at Oliver's tone. "You sound out of breath," he commented, not giving Oliver a chance to respond before he continued. "There's a problem with the Russian mission. Is Chloe around? We're going to need extra tech support. My servers were compromised and I need to reboot the whole system," he explained.

"Yeah, Chloe is right here," Oliver said. He sent her an apologetic look. "Can you log into the system and set up tech support? Vic needs to shut down and AC and Bart are going to be running blind," he said. 

Chloe let out short breath and nodded “Yeah,” she glanced around for her shorts. She found them a minute later, pulled them on, and stood before looking for her shirt. Her heart was still beating a mile a minute, but the haze was clearing as some of the desire died down now that he was no longer touching her.

She tugged her shirt over her head as she spoke. “My computer’s in your office,” she commented as she moved out of the living room and down the hall, a flush creeping up her neck at what had just happened. Chloe was almost positive that if Victor hadn’t called, she and Oliver would have had sex. At least she was pretty sure they would have.

He hadn’t seemed against the idea, hell with the way he touched her he seemed more than okay with it. Chloe groaned as she made it to Oliver’s office a spark of arousal igniting inside of her again at the thought of his hands on her. She shook her head. She needed to focus, the team needed her. Everything else could wait until the mission was over.

Oliver watched her go, only half-listening as Victor filled him in on the details of the mission so far. He had no idea where to even start thinking about what had just happened between them or how far things could have gone if Victor hadn't called. He wondered if Chloe would have regretted it if things had gone to the next level. Oliver chewed on the inside of his cheek and forced himself to pay attention to Victor. Their personal stuff was going to have to wait.

 

______

 

Chloe glanced at the trays of food that were in front of her and sighed as her eyes drifted towards the closed bathroom door. She was anxious, she couldn’t help it. It had been three days since she and Oliver skated past the friendship zone and straight into the practically naked and almost having sex zone. But neither of them had had a spare minute to talk about what happened. After Victor called they ran into a snag on the mission and she and Oliver had to make their way to Russia.

Everything was finally ironed out and the team had taken care of things, so she was hoping they could talk before heading back to Metropolis tomorrow. Oliver had gotten back from the mission, ordered room service for them and then jumped in the shower. Just the thought of him naked made her anxious…and possibly a little turned on. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way his lips felt against hers and how warm his hands made her skin.

Chloe had to bit her cheek to keep a moan from leaving her throat. She pushed herself out of the chair and started to pace. She needed to know if he regretted what happened or if they were on the same page because sharing a hotel room with him was starting to drive her a little bit bonkers. Things were awkward between them and she hated that. It was the last thing she wanted and part of the reason she hadn’t told him how she felt when she first came back.

Chloe sighed as she moved back and forth before finally sitting on the edge of the bed crossing her legs and making her nightgown ride up slightly. She wondered if he’d been thinking about her too. The sound of the bathroom lock coming undone broke her out of her thoughts and she reached forward lifting up covers to keep herself busy and see what he had ordered.

Oliver stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt and holding the pieces of his uniform that he'd changed out of before he'd showered. It had been a long few days since they'd gotten to Russia and he'd spent most of them with the team. This was the first time he and Chloe had truly been alone since they'd been on the plane, and that hadn't really counted since they'd been on the phone with various team members the entire time.

But now they were alone and he knew they needed to talk about what had almost happened between them and where they were supposed to go from there. The problem was that Oliver had no idea where Chloe's head was at and he was afraid that he might say the wrong thing and ruin everything between them.

They'd gotten carried away the other day, but he didn't know if it was because Chloe had feelings for him or if they'd both just gotten caught up in hormones. She'd said that she'd wanted him to kiss her for a long time. If he was being honest, he'd wanted to, but he'd always held back because the last thing he ever wanted to do was risk their friendship. Chloe meant everything to him and he knew for a fact that he couldn't live without her. "Hey," he said, giving her a small smile as he moved toward the table and stuffed his uniform into his bag. "Did the guys scatter?" he asked, mentally cursing himself for starting with such a stupid question.

Chloe nodded, “Yeah, Bart took off and I think AC is in the pool and Victor’s in the other room recharging or something,” she said with a wave of her hand. She was nervous. She hated being nervous around Oliver. He could always tell. She swallowed hard and glanced at the food. “There’s a lot here…It all looks good, thanks for ordering while I was in the shower. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.” She said as she shifted in her seat.

"You always seem to forget to eat when I'm not around to remind you," Oliver teased. He was hungry too after all the work he'd been doing for the missions. He realized there was nowhere to sit in the tiny room, aside from on the bed next to Chloe. He could tell that she was nervous and he didn't know if it was because he was making her nervous or because she was upset about what had happened between them. He hated not being able to read her.

Oliver walked over to the bed and took a seat beside Chloe, leaving what he considered a normal amount of distance between them. He gave her another small smile and then reached for one of the plates. "Things went well today," he commented, grasping for conversation. 

“Yeah?” She asked as she followed his lead and took the other plate. He nodded as she added random things to her plate and sent a sideways glance in his direction. “I’m glad. You’re not hurt are you?” She asked concerned as she let her eyes trail over his body.

Oliver shook his head. "I think I made it out without so much as a scratch," he said proudly, knowing that didn't happen often. "No need to worry about me, Sidekick," he said as he turned his attention to his plate. There was still an awkwardness in the air between them. Oliver knew they should just pull off the band-aid, so to speak, but he honestly didn't know where to start. So he focused on eating for awhile.

Chloe’s chest tightened at his words and she looked away from him. “Oh, okay.” She said softly as she grabbed a fork and swallowed heavily. She poked at her food and shifted on the bed her leg accidentally brushing against his. She paused, “Sorry,” she mumbled as she ate a carrot and signed lightly.

"You don't have to apologize," Oliver said. He reached out, placing his hand over hers. "Chloe, I don't know why things are so awkward between us. I mean, I know, but I hate it. We really need to talk," he said. There was no point in putting it off any longer. 

Chloe took a deep breath at the feel of his hand against hers as she glanced at him and met his gaze. She nodded and reached forward putting her plate down. “You’re right,” she said softly. “I don’t like it either.” She told him as she brushed her thumb over his hand, her heartbeat picking up speed.

Oliver smiled at her, keeping her hand in his. "We need to talk about what happened the other day," he said quietly. His heart was beating a little harder in his chest, but he did his best to ignore it so they could finally have this conversation. "It was unexpected," he said, figuring that was the best word. "But Chloe, I..." He paused, not sure what he wanted to say. Why did this have to be so awkward? "I want you to know that I..." He paused again when there was a knock on the door.

Chloe glanced at the door and frowned. She opened her mouth and there was another knock. She sighed, got up, and moved towards the door pulling it open with a jerk. She arched an eyebrow when she saw AC standing there. “Hey,” she said sending him half a smile trying her best not to come off as annoyed as she felt.

AC smiled, “Hey, can I come in?” He asked as he walked into the room in his swimming trunks. He glanced at Oliver and nodded at the other man. “Hey, awesome you guys have dinner. Think I can grab some?” He asked as he paused in front of Oliver.

"What's going on?" Oliver asked, doing his best to keep the annoyance out of his tone. AC seemed pretty carefree so he doubted there was any kind of problem. "I would have thought you'd be ready to crash for the night," he commented, his gaze drifting to Chloe. He could see that she was not happy with the interruption either.

AC nodded as he glanced at the food. “I was, but then I went for a swim and it woke me right up,” he said lightly before stealing a fry and popping it into his mouth. He chewed and glanced back at Oliver. “You think I can fly back with you guys?” He asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Sure," Oliver replied. "But do you think you can..." Before he could finish, Victor appeared in the open doorway. 

"Hey so this is where the party is," he said, grinning, as he moved into the room. "What's going on?" He joined AC by the room service cart, grabbing a roll. "How'd you guys manage to get all this food past Shorty?" he asked.

"We weren't really expecting company," Oliver replied. He'd been about to ask AC to leave, but it was kind of hard to do that now that he and Victor had both made themselves at home. He glanced at Chloe and raised an eyebrow. 

Chloe closed the door and shrugged, but she wasn’t happy. It wasn’t like they could just kick the guys out though. She walked towards the oversized chair and grabbed her robe, wrapping it around herself.

AC glanced over his shoulder and grinned, “Don’t cover up on our account,” he teased lightly as he grabbed a roll and plopped down in one of the chairs.

Chloe rolled her eyes, but sent him half a smile as she sat in one of the chairs.

“Where is the Speedster anyway?” AC asked.

"I don't know," Oliver said. His jaw clenched and he forced himself to relax as he fought the urge to tell AC that he'd better never hear him make comments like that to Chloe again. He knew he'd been teasing; it was the kind of thing all the guys did, but Oliver was feeling incredibly possessive over Chloe at the moment. He wasn't sure he had any right to, but that didn't seem to stop him. He got up from the bed, moving across the room to stand next to Chloe's chair as AC and Victor continued to help themselves to the food. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. 

Chloe looked away from the guys and reached out running a hand down Oliver’s arm. “It’s not your fault. It’s fine.” She said quietly, not bothering to move her hand. She knew the guys were just glad to be hanging out with her and Oliver again even though she hated the fact that they couldn’t talk.

"We'll talk later," Oliver told her just as there was another knock on the door. Before Oliver or Chloe could say anything, Victor yelled for Bart to come in and the younger man raced into the room, making a beeline for the food. Oliver rolled his eyes, staying where he was at Chloe's side. As much as he wanted to get things out in the open, he wasn't as upset about the interruption as he probably should have been.

Part of him was still nervous about what Chloe was going to say. After all, if she'd been on board for what had happened between them, wouldn't she have said something to him by now? He couldn't help wondering if the awkwardness and the distance between them was her way of telling him that she wasn't really interested in being anything other than friends. 

Chloe sent him a tight smile. “Sure,” she said although she knew it most likely wasn’t going to happen. Maybe she shouldn’t have kissed him. Maybe she pushed him too far. Oliver was probably still upset with her for faking her death even though things were better between them. What happened had probably confused him and now things were awkward because he didn’t know how to tell her that he wasn’t looking for more than friendship right now, which royally sucked.

 

______

 

The elevator doors opened and Oliver stepped out into the penthouse, noting how quiet it was. That was a refreshing change since AC, Bart and Victor had all decided to come back to Metropolis with them after they'd left Russia. They'd said it had been too long since they'd all just hung out in between missions and they wanted to have some fun.

Oliver really had no solid argument against that so he'd had no choice but to let them stay for a few days. But he'd had to go to the office that morning and all the guys had planned on heading out to their respective corners of the world. Judging by the silence, Oliver assumed everyone was already gone.

He loosened his tie and shrugged off his jacket as he made his way up the stairs. Oliver passed the guest room, pausing when he noticed the door was open a little. "Chloe?" he called, figuring she was home. They needed to get back to their discussion or actually start one since they'd barely gotten past the agreement that they needed to talk before the guys had burst in on them in Russia.

Chloe poked her head out of her bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body, “I’m here,” she said keeping her tone light. The guys had left a little over an hour ago when they all got back from Watchtower. AC and Victor had somehow managed to con her into a workout session that only seemed to prove how incredibly out of shape she had gotten. She waited for them to leave and then hopped into the shower to wash the sweat away.

Chloe rubbed the last of the lotion onto her body before stepping out of the bathroom and catching sight of Oliver in the doorway. They still hadn’t had a chance to talk yet, but she knew they needed to. She sent him half a smile. “You’re home early I wasn’t expecting you until later.” She commented.

"Yeah," Oliver said. He seemed to be unable to form any kind of coherent thought since he was too preoccupied by the fact that Chloe was wearing a towel. He swallowed hard, but couldn't seem to stop his eyes from trailing over her. Oliver jerked his head up, forcing himself to focus on her face and he gave her a small smile.

"Things were quiet at the office so I took the first opportunity to get out of there before that could change. Did the guys leave?" he asked.

Chloe swallowed heavily as she caught his eyes moving over her body. She nodded as her heartbeat sped up. “Yeah, about an hour ago,” she said lightly while shifting towards her drawer and grabbing a random pair of undergarments and then brushing past Oliver to grab a dress from the closet. “Did you want to talk?” She asked hesitantly as she turned to face him, clothes hanging over her arm, not wanting to push him in case he wanted to relax or something.

"Yeah," Oliver said, distracted, as he couldn't help letting his eyes roam over her again. "I know we haven't really had any time alone these past couple of days so we should probably take advantage of the quiet, right?" he asked.

There was something about his words the stirred desire inside of her. That isn’t what he meant; she told herself even as she put her things on the bed and stepped closer to him. Chloe nodded as she let her hand rest against his dress shirt. “I think it’s probably a good idea.” She said softly as she met his gaze while her finger unconsciously brushing back and forth against his chest.

Oliver swallowed hard as she brushed her fingers across his shirt. Now that she was closer, he could smell the lotion she'd put on and the way it mixed with her skin was intoxicating. He couldn't seem to stop himself from reaching out and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "We should talk," he said again. But instead, he moved closer, lowering his head and covering her mouth with his.

Chloe was startled for about two seconds before her hand slid up his shoulder and around gripping the back of his neck tightly. She returned the kiss enthusiastically as she pressed herself against him. This was what she’d been wanting for days. The feel of his body near hers, his lips, hands. She moaned into his mouth ignoring the burning in her chest as she continued to kiss him.

Seconds later she broke the kiss and sucked in a sharp breath before capturing his lips again in a hard kiss, her other hand finding the hem of his shirt and tugging it out of his pants so she could slid her hand beneath it.

Oliver returned the kiss, even as he helped her with his shirt, his hands going to the buttons to get the material out of the way. He grabbed his tie, tugging it off and dropping it to the floor before he reached for Chloe again, deepening the kiss as his hands went to her hips, pulling her body tight against his. He'd been desperate to touch her again since they'd been interrupted and now that he finally was, it was even better than he remembered.

Lifting her off her feet, Oliver moved toward the bed and the two of them fell back onto it, landing haphazardly, but he didn't care. Oliver's mouth found hers again as his hand traveled down her side to rest on her bare thigh; his other hand cupping her cheek as he kissed her like his life depended on it.

Chloe moaned beneath him as she shoved his shirt off his shoulders in a frenzy. She pulled him closer and arched beneath him as arousal coursed through her entire body. Another small noise fell from her throat as she shifted her legs and gripped his waist tugging him closer. She broke the kiss again turned her head to the side to try and fill her burning lungs with air.

Her body felt like it was over heating as she stroked his back and then brought her hand around to caress his chest, her eyes dropping to the well tone muscles as she licked her lips.

His muscles automatically tensed under her touch and Oliver dropped his head to her neck, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin there as he ran his hand over her shoulder and down her arm, making her shiver beneath him. His mouth moved lower and he used his free hand to tug on her towel, pulling it down below her breasts. Oliver swallowed hard, his eyes darkening with lust as he lowered his head again. "Beautiful," he whispered against her skin as his mouth trailed over her.

Chloe whimpered not able to help the way her body arched beneath him as her hand moved from his waist to his back. Her nails dug into his skin as she tilted her head to the side to give him better access to her neck. “Ollie,” she moaned his name as her hand found its way to his belt. Desire curled low in her belly, the cool air combined with arousal making her nipples harden almost painfully. “I need you,” she moaned as her hips rocked into him.

"I need you too, Chloe. So much," Oliver told her as he slipped his hand between her legs and cupped her sex, groaning at how wet she was. Her hips bucked against his hand and he smiled before his lips closed around her nipple. He sucked on the hard bud as he trailed his fingers over her slit, teasing her.

Chloe made a strangled noise in the back of her throat as she clutched at his body, the combined sensations of his mouth and hand on her driving her crazy. It had been too long and she wanted to be embarrassed about how wet she knew she had to be, but she couldn’t seem to make herself care at the moment.

She was hot and shifting beneath him desperately trying to get some relief as the ache between her thighs grew stronger. Chloe’s stomach muscles clenched as she threaded her hand through Oliver’s hair holding him to her breast. “Please, Ollie,” All her movements made the last part of the towel fall to the side so she was lying on it beneath Oliver completely naked. Her skin was flush with arousal, her head arched back in pleasure as she begged him not to stop.

Oliver heard the urgency in her voice and he slid two fingers inside of her, groaning at the feeling of her wet heat surrounding him. Her inner muscles immediately started clenching against his fingers. "God, you're so tight, Chloe," he said as he started moving in and out of her body as his mouth continued to tease her nipple. She was arching up to meet his fingers and he swept his thumb across her clit, rubbing hard circles across the small bundle of nerves.

"You feel so good," he told her as he shifted so he could kiss her again. That voice in the back of his head was back; the one that said that they should probably have had a conversation before they'd gotten carried away, but it was really hard to care with the way Chloe was moaning his name and arching to meet him. He could feel her getting close and he added pressure to her clit as he broke the kiss, his mouth trailing down to her neck to suck on her pulse point.

Chloe sobbed beneath him, her eyes squeezed shut as the pressure in her lower belly built to an almost painful amount. She could feel her body mounting the edge as she gasped and moaned beneath him, her hips lifting of their own accord to meet his thrusting fingers. She rode his hand hard as her fingers tightened in his hair. Pleasure flowed through her body and she arched her breasts into him again. “Oh god, Ollie,” she whimpered, his touch sending bolts of electricity through her body. “So close,” she could feel her body teetering over the edge as his thumb brushed over her clit again making her body jerk right as the buzzer for the elevator rang downstairs.

Oliver swore as the buzzer sounded again. "What the hell? I thought everyone left," he muttered. Aside from the team, no one knew where he lived so he knew whoever was on the other side of the buzzer wasn't just going to go away. "I'm sorry," he told Chloe as he pulled his hand back and sent her an apologetic look. "I can try to get rid of whoever it is," he offered.

Chloe made a disgruntled noise and swallowed heavily as she attempted to catch her breath. She nodded as she met Oliver’s gaze, “Hurry?” She said though the word came out with a hint of a question to it as she leaned up pressing her naked chest against his and kissed him moving her lips over his.

Oliver groaned, returning the kiss, even as the buzzer sounded again. "I'll be back before you know I'm gone," he said. Oliver kissed her again and reluctantly moved off the bed, hastily fixing his pants and buttoning his shirt as he hurried down the stairs, determined to get rid of whoever it was immediately. He flipped on the security monitor and his eyes widened when he saw Lois in the elevator. That was unexpected. He hit the button to let her in.

Lois strode into the apartment, anxious to see her cousin. She'd waited as long as she could and she'd tried to be patient, but it wasn't working for her. The only way they were going to fix things was if they talked and she was done letting Chloe call all the shots. She spotted Oliver right away and opened her mouth to ask where Chloe was, but she stopped when she got a good look at him. His shirt was buttoned wrong, his pants were wrinkled and his hair was all over the place like someone had been pulling it. Awkward, Lois thought as she gave him a tight smile.

"Hey Ollie," she said. "I came to talk to Chloe, but I'm guessing she's not here and you're clearly in the middle of something. Sorry about that," Lois said.

Oliver winced at the knowing look on her face and ran a hand down his shirt. "Now is not really a good time, Lois. But I'll tell Chloe you stopped by," he added as he motioned to the elevator, glad that she could take a hint.

Lois started to leave, but then turned back to Oliver again. "I know Chloe's upset with me and she has every right to be, but I'm upset with her too. We can't fix this if she won't talk to me, Oliver. Do you know where she is right now?" she asked.

"Um," Oliver hesitated. If he told Lois that Chloe was upstairs, it wouldn't be too hard for her to put things together and Oliver wasn't sure Chloe wanted anyone to know about them. Hell, he didn't know if there was a 'them' for people to know about since they still hadn't had that conversation.

"Oliver?" Lois repeated, raising an eyebrow at his hesitation. "Do you know where Chloe is or not? She didn't leave again, did she?" she asked. There was a noise from the upstairs hallway and Lois saw Oliver's eyes head in that direction. "You can go back to your date as soon as you tell me where I can find Chloe," she said. Lois saw a flicker of something on Oliver's face and her eyes widened. "Is Chloe here?" she asked.

"Yes," Oliver confirmed, not wanting to lie to her. He saw the realization pass across her face. "But now really isn't a good time," he said.

"Clearly," Lois said, not sure what to make of the fact that Chloe and Oliver were obviously more than just friends. She'd wondered about that, but Clark had refused to speculate with her. "Sorry Ollie, but I'm not leaving until she comes down here."

The second Chloe had heard Lois’s voice she had practically shot off the bed, that familiar dread filling her. She didn’t know what her problem was, but facing Lois terrified her. It didn’t take her long to throw on her dress that was already out while Oliver tried to get Lois to leave. But when Chloe heard her say she wasn’t leaving she let out a frustrated sigh and made her way out into the hallway.

Chloe took a deep breath and let it out slowly before walking over to the staircase her gaze falling on her cousin and Oliver. She hesitated before making her way down the stairs a particularly tight smile pulling at her lips. “Hi Lois,” she said carefully as she paused near Oliver leaving a normal amount of distance between them, the earlier lack of embarrassment no longer an issue.

"Hey Chloe," Lois replied. She returned her cousin's tight smile with one of her own. "I think we need to talk. Do you mind, Ollie?" she asked. "You could use the time to fix your clothes," she added, smirking.

Oliver rolled his eyes, not appreciating the humor she was finding in the situation. He glanced at Chloe, silently asking her what she wanted him to do. He wouldn't leave her alone if she didn't feel comfortable.

Chloe winced slightly at Lois’s words before watching her for a minute. “I would feel better if Oliver stayed,” she said quietly, “I’m only going to tell him what we talk about anyway.” She admitted as she shifted on her feet.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Oliver suggested. He reached for Chloe's hand, threading their fingers together, and pulling her toward the couch. He took a seat, keeping Chloe's hand in his as he waited for Lois to sit down.

Lois was more hurt than she cared to admit that her cousin didn't want to be alone with her, but she didn't comment. Instead, she took a seat in the chair across from them. "Chloe, I know you're still upset, but nothing is going to get resolved if we avoid the issue. I miss you," she told her.

Chloe hesitated, “I miss you too, Lois.” She said quietly as her hand tightened on Oliver’s. She was quiet for a minute. “I’ve been following you’re writing…You’ve gotten really good.” She said softly trying to figure out what to say. She felt bad about what happened the last time Lois and Oliver were at the apartment and she wished she was okay with everything, she wished things could just go back to normal, that she didn’t feel this irrational fear every time she looked back on her old life, but it wasn’t that simple.

“I’m sorry,” she said her voice quiet as she hesitantly met her cousin’s gaze. “I didn’t mean to run out on you and Clark last time.”

Oliver rubbed his thumb over Chloe's wrist, silently offering her comfort while she talked to Lois. He knew this wasn't easy for her, but he was proud of her for making an effort.

"You don't have to apologize, Chloe. I get that it was overwhelming," Lois said. She'd cried for hours after Clark had brought her back to the farm. "But we need to fix what's broken or we're never going to be able to move forward. I understand that you're upset we didn't look harder for you and that's something we're going to have to live with. But Clark and I both want to try and I really hope you do too because I miss you," she said.

Chloe studied Lois for a minute and nodded. “I want to, too,” she said and she found that her words were true. “But Lois, this isn’t something you can rush. When I see you and Clark,” she paused and swallowed hard, “All I can think about is Lex and what happened when I was there. All I can think about is how I was ripped from my life and missed out on so much.” She admitted as her gaze dropped.

“I didn’t even get to graduate high school. I didn’t get to go to prom or finish things up at The Torch. I mean did my Dad even look for me before he took off to parts unknown to work for Luthor Corp.?” She asked bitterly before shaking her head and hurrying to continue talking. “It’s just going to take time.” She told her more firmly.

Lois nodded as she fought back the tears that wanted to well up in her eyes. "He thought you died, Chloe. It hurt him too much to be here." She glanced at Oliver, recalling what he'd said about the reason he'd left Star City. "Clark and I had each other, but he didn't have anyone. That doesn't mean he ever stopped loving you or missing you," she said.

Moisture pooled in Chloe’s eyes and she nodded. She could understand that. “He didn’t have anyone because Lex had Mom too,” she said quietly as she glanced up at Lois. “Turns out she’s the one person I couldn’t save.” She said remembering how Lex had used her Mother against her. She let out a shaky breath and met her cousin’s gaze again. “If this is going to work we need to start fresh,” she told her. “I’m not going to talk about what happened or where I was or anything in the past. We move forward…Okay?” She asked as she held her gaze.

Oliver shifted closer to Chloe, letting go of her hand so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders. He knew how hard it was for her to talk about her mother and how guilty she still felt for not being able to help her. He also knew it wasn't her fault, but there was nothing he could do to make Chloe see that.

Lois nodded as fresh tears welled in the corners of her eyes. "I can do that." She wanted to know everything that had happened to Chloe because she wanted to help her and make things better, but she knew sometimes that wasn't possible. "Maybe we could have lunch one day this week, just the two of us. Or you could come too, Ollie," she added quickly, not wanting to send Chloe into a panic.

Chloe could see how hard Lois was trying and guilt filled her chest. “Lunch sounds okay.” She said with a hesitant smile. “Maybe on Friday we can go…I can meet you there.” She said keeping her tone light as she leaned into Oliver.

Lois nodded. "Friday sounds good." She got to her feet, not wanting to overstay her welcome. "Why don't you pick the restaurant and text me the time and stuff? Ollie has my cell," she added. "I'll let you guys get back to your afternoon," she said, giving them both a small smile.

Chloe followed her cousin’s lead and stood. “I can do that,” she said as she returned Lois’s smile with a small one of her own. “I’ll see you then,” she said as Lois made her way to the elevator. Chloe waved as her cousin disappeared from sight. She let out a small sigh and bit her lower lip. She supposed that went better than she expected.

Oliver got up as well, moving to stand behind Chloe as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against him. "Are you okay, Sidekick?" he asked quietly as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

Chloe leaned into him and rested her hands over his arms. She nodded, “No,” she said softly, “But I will be.” She brushed her thumb against his arm enjoying the feel of being close to him. “Will you be on standby incase I need you Friday?” She asked softly.

"Of course I will," Oliver promised. He tightened his arms around her and rested his head against hers. "I know none of this has been easy for you, Chloe, but I'm proud of you. And I'll always be here if you need me," he said. 

Chloe squeezed his hand lightly before turned slowly in his arms and holding his gaze. “Thank you, I don’t know what I would do without you.” she said softly as she cupped his cheek. Knowing Oliver was there for her always made everything that much better. She hesitated before tilting her head up and kissing him slowly, drawing it out, not sure if it was okay, but needing to do it in that moment.

Oliver returned the kiss, pulling her closer as he brought his hand up to her face. When the kiss broke, he rested his forehead against hers. "I don't know what I'd do without you either, Chloe. So try not to leave me again," Oliver said. He tried to keep his voice light, but it was still too soon for the joke. 

Chloe nodded as he cupped his cheeks. “Never, I’m never leaving you again,” she whispered. “You’re my best friend,” she said not sure how else to describe what they were at the moment. She knew what she wanted them to be, but she had no idea where Oliver’s head was and she didn’t want to assume. She captured his lips again, drawing the kiss out as she moved her mouth against his while shifting closer to him.

"You're my best friend too, Chloe," Oliver told her when the kiss broke. "But you're so much more than that," he added as he met her gaze. "You're the person I can't live without. When I thought you'd died, it was like my life ended too. The only reason I got out of bed every morning was because I knew you would have wanted me too," he said, his voice tight with emotion. 

A hint of moisture pooled in her eyes at his admission. “I hated being away for so long.” She told him, “The only thing that kept me going was knowing eventually when it was all over, I could come back to you,” she told him as she ran her hands over his chest lightly. She wanted to say it…tell him how she felt right then and there, but she still wasn’t sure so she pushed the urge aside.

Oliver gently brushed the unshed tears away. "Chloe, I want you to know that I forgive you. It hurt like hell and I was angry, but I'm not anymore. I know you did what you did to protect me and everyone else. I still don't agree with the decision, but it's not something that's going to be between us," he said. "All that matters to me is that you're back and you're with me. I wanted you to know that," he said.

Her expression softened, “Thank you.” She rested a hand against his chest, “It kills me knowing I hurt you, but I swear Ollie, never again.” She said quietly though her voice held a hint of finality to it. She leaned up and kissed him again, her hand sliding around so she was gripping the back of his neck, her fingers lightly playing with the hair there.      

Oliver held her a little tighter as he returned the kiss, taking his time and enjoying the feeling of her mouth against his. The kiss didn't have the same urgency as the ones they usually shared did, but it still felt just as amazing. Oliver broke the kiss when air started to become an issue, resting his forehead against hers as he stroked her cheek.

"Chloe, we really need to talk about this," he said. As much as he wanted to just go upstairs and get back to what they'd started before Lois had shown up, Oliver knew that they couldn't keep letting themselves get carried away. He didn't want to risk things getting awkward between them again. 

Chloe nodded. “I know we do.” She said her voice soft as she pressed herself closer to him. “Ollie I think--” The sound of his phone vibrating cut off her words and she frowned. “I almost feel the universe is trying to tell me something,” she mumbled and shifted back as his phone continued to ring.

"To be continued," Oliver told her as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and made a face when he saw who was calling. "It's Richardson," he said, referring to one of his board members. "This might take awhile." He shot her an apologetic look as he pressed the button to answer the phone and brought it to his ear. "Jeff, what can I do for you?" Oliver asked, shifting into business mode, even as he wondered if Chloe was right and the universe was trying to tell them something.

 

______

 

Chloe sat on Oliver’s bed as he stood in his closet tossing a few things into his bag. She didn’t like this. As a matter of fact she disliked it as much as a person could dislike anything. The call he got earlier in the day turned into an issue that could not be fixed over the phone and now he was taking off to Star City to go deal with business issues. It wouldn’t be so bad expect for the fact that she was not going with him.

The thought alone filled her with anxiety. She hadn’t left his side since she came home and she didn’t particularly relish the idea now. Chloe let out a light sigh as she sat there her brows drawing together. “Maybe I should come.” She said keeping her tone light as she addressed Oliver.

Oliver finished tossing stuff in his bag and moved back into the bedroom. He'd given Chloe the option of coming with him, but he had no idea how long he was going to be gone and all three of the guys were out on missions, so she'd be alone in Star City. She'd agreed that it was best to just stay in Metropolis, but he could practically feel the panic coming from her at the idea. As much as he didn't want to be away from her, Oliver thought it might be time for them to both have some space and figure out what the hell was happening between them and where they were headed.

"You can come with me if you want to," Oliver said. He set the bag down and then sat down on the bed beside her. "But I'm not going to be around much and there's a chance I'll have to fly to Vancouver so then you'll be on your own in Star City anyway." Oliver reached for her hand. "What are you afraid of, Chloe?" he asked.

Chloe clasped onto his hand immediately and sighed. “Being away from you,” she said and then hesitated, “I haven’t been alone in Metropolis since everything with Lex happened.” She admitted quietly. “I know he’s gone, but being in the city alone…It scares me.” Verbalizing the thought made it more real somehow and Chloe realized how silly it must be for her to be afraid of someone who wasn’t even alive anymore.

She was also scared that Oliver would leave and suddenly realize he didn’t need her as much as he thought he did. That he would see he was fine on his own and decide whatever was happening between them wasn’t anything important. Chloe knew that she was probably having less faith in Oliver than she should, but it wasn’t about him, it was about her.

Oliver brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly before he reached out with his free hand to stroke her face. "If you're not ready for this, you can come with me," he said. "But Chloe, we both know the only way to conquer fear is to face it," he said. Oliver brushed his thumb over her chin.

"I know how strong you are and I think you'll realize that once I'm gone. You can do this," he said confidently. "But if you're not ready, that's fine too. I'm quite fond of your company," Oliver pointed out with a smile. "I wouldn't mind you coming too, but I'm going to have to work a lot."

Chloe leaned into his touch. She knew he was right. It was the same way he helped her in the beginning when he and the team first rescued her, coaxing her out with baby steps. She swallowed heavily and met his gaze. “You’re right,” she said quietly as she shifted closer to him and rested a hand on his leg.

“But you promise you’ll be back as quick as you can? And will call?” She asked as her hand tightened on his leg.

"I promise," Oliver said. He leaned in, closing the distance between them and kissed her softly, his grip on her hand tightening. He pulled back a minute later to meet her gaze. "I'll call whenever I can and if you need me, all you have to do is call." He knew he could have Clark pick him up if he needed to get back fast.

Chloe glanced down at their hands and nodded as she played with his fingers. “Okay, I’ll try not to though. I know you’re busy and you can’t just drop everything because of me.” She said as she glanced up at him again. “Would it be silly if I told you I’m really going to miss you,” she said softly knowing there was no reason for her to be getting so emotional. He would be back in a few days and everything would be okay. Oliver was right; this would be good for her.

Oliver smiled and then leaned in to kiss her again, drawing it out this time before he rested his forehead against hers. "I'm going to miss you too, Chloe. And I absolutely can and will drop everything if you need me. You know that," he reminded her, holding her gaze for a minute before covering her mouth with his, unable to resist kissing her again.

Chloe cupped his cheeks and returned the kiss enthusiastically, loving the feel of his mouth moving over hers. She didn’t break the kiss until air became an issue. She let out a content sigh, one of her hands still on his as the other slid down his chest. “I know,” she said softly, “But I don’t want you to have to.”

"You're going to be fine," Oliver said again. "And maybe if you're lucky, I'll bring you home a present. Something really exciting like a new stapler or some paper clips from the office," he joked, attempting to lighten the mood. Oliver knew he was going to miss her, probably more than was healthy or normal, but he didn't care. This was going to be the first time they were apart since Chloe had come back to him.

“I like presents,” she said softly as she shifted even closer to him, “When are you leaving me?” She asked softly as she brushed her thumbs against his chest. She knew he had to go soon and she wasn’t exactly looking forward to it.

"I'm not leaving you; I'm going on a business trip," Oliver corrected her. He shifted on the bed so he could wrap both his arms around her as he tugged her back so they were resting against the headboard. "I've got a little time before I need to leave for the airport," he said.

“Same thing,” she mumbled into his chest with a pout as she rested against him. Chloe shifted so she was pressed against his side. “Can we just relax here until you have to go?” She asked as her hand rubbed his stomach. She knew they should talk, but right now she just wanted to lie in his arms and spend a little time with him before he left.

"Of course we can," Oliver replied. He tightened his grip on her, enjoying the feeling of having Chloe in his arms. He was going to miss her, but he thought this would be a good test for both of them. Then when he came home, maybe they'd finally be able to have the talk that kept getting interrupted so they'd know once and for all where they stood with each other.


	10. Chapter 10

Lois shifted uncomfortably in the booth as she glanced at the door, waiting for Chloe to walk through it. Her cousin was already a few minutes late and Lois was worried that she changed her mind and wasn't going to come. Chloe had texted her the day before to make the arrangements and she had chosen a restaurant that was fairly new, which Lois figured went with her whole 'not living in the past' mantra. Lois was fine with that, but she couldn't help the nerves that were fluttering in her stomach. Clark had offered to join them and she'd almost taken him up on that, but on the off chance that Chloe didn't have Oliver with her, Lois really wanted the alone time.

She glanced down at her phone, chewing on her lip as she debated sending Chloe a text to make sure that she was still coming. But she didn't want to freak her out if she was just running late. Lois was considering texting Oliver instead when she heard the jingle above the door. She glanced up and saw Chloe walk in. Lois lifted her hand to wave as her heart started beating a little faster in her chest.

Chloe saw Lois waving and she sent her a hesitant smile as she started making her way over to the booth her cousin had picked. Her heart was slamming against her chest and she had text Oliver at least ten times before heading into the restaurant. Anxiety curled in her stomach, but she knew she couldn’t just cancel.

She had picked a place that was close to the penthouse and even though it was in walking distance she drove. Chloe wasn’t sure why she was so nervous, but the idea of sitting down with Lois and having lunch, just the two of them was seriously stressing her out. But she knew this was a step she needed to take, plus she really did miss her cousin.

Chloe slid into the booth and sent her cousin another hesitant smile, “Hi,” she said keeping her tone light as she placed her phone on the table and her purse at her side in the booth.

"Hi," Lois replied. She noticed that Chloe's smile wasn't exactly genuine and she could see that her cousin was nervous. But she was too so somehow, it seemed fitting. "I figured you'd bring Ollie with you," she commented.

Chloe swallowed hard and nodded. “Oliver and I thought it would be a good idea for me to come alone…Plus he had a business trip. He’s been gone for two days,” she said softly as she reached for the water that was in front of her and took a long sip. She put it back down and crossed her legs as she shifted in her seat not wanting to dwell on Oliver being gone. She missed him something fierce. “So, how are you?” She asked.

"I'm good," Lois said. "Things have been busy at the Planet, but they always are during election season since all the politicians in this city are corrupt," she said matter-of-factly. Lois reached for her water as well, needing something to do with her hands. "Clark's busy too, covering City Hall. He wanted me to tell you that he said hello," she added.

Chloe sent her half a smile. “I can see how being busy is a good thing,” she said lightly as her hands curled around her phone. “You’ll have to tell Clark I say hello.” She paused racking her brain to try and come up with something they could talk about. “So, the Planet…How’d that happen?” She asked as she met Lois’s gaze.

"I started working at the Inquisitor after I finished school," Lois explained. "It was mostly false alien stories, but then I started getting tips from the Blur and my stories started getting attention. The Planet had an opening so I applied for it and the rest is history," she said.

Chloe nodded. “That makes sense. Clark always knows when things are going on,” she commented as she spun her phone in her hands. “I sent you some tips while I was gone…It was a way to keep myself busy while I was waiting to come back to Oliver.” She said as she glanced down at her phone checking to see if there were any messages. There weren’t.

Lois's mouth dropped open. She hadn't been expecting that. "You're the mystery person who sent me all those emails?" Lois winced when she realized how loud that had come out and she quickly leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Chloe, I had no idea. I mean, why would I, but I never..." Her voice trailed off. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Chloe shifted slightly uncomfortable and shrugged. “Sure, it’s not a big deal. I mean I had a lot of time and I figured you could use the tips,” she said letting her voice trail off. “I’m glad they helped.” She told her.

"They did," Lois said. She could see how uncomfortable Chloe was and that made her tense. She searched her mind for something to talk about. "So you and Ollie," she said, letting her voice trail off for a second. "Now I understand why he refused so adamantly each time I offered to set him up with someone from work. Sorry," she added, realizing how awkward it was that she'd just admitted that she'd tried to set her cousin's boyfriend up with other women.

"Believe it or not, Smallville picked up on the fact that Oliver obviously had someone he really cared about," Lois continued, not giving Chloe a chance to say anything. "He told me I needed to stop pushing him because he'd clearly lost someone important to him."

Chloe swallowed hard. “Oliver is my best friend,” she said before continuing, “He would have been in his rights to date people. I mean we aren’t together, I don’t think.” She paused and pursed her lips. “We haven’t had a chance to talk about what’s going on between us. But whatever it is, it’s new,” she admitted feeling slightly awkward.

"Oh," Lois said, confused. "I got the impression the other day..." She let her voice trail off; wishing things weren't so awkward between them. "So you guys weren't together before you...disappeared," she finished, for lack of a better word. 

Chloe shook her head. “No,” she said and hesitated. “I didn’t realize how much Oliver meant to me until I was gone for a year. It was a lot harder to stay away from him that I initially anticipated.” She admitted. “He’s pretty much been the one constant thing in my life for the past five years…It’s complicated I’m sure we’ll figure things out,” if we ever actually get a chance to talk, she thought to herself.

Lois could see that her cousin was attached to Oliver; that much had been obvious from the moment Lois had found out the two of them knew each other and that Chloe had been alive all this time. She'd wondered if there was more to their relationship and after what she'd seen the other day; she just assumed they'd been together for awhile. But she could see how hesitant Chloe was. "Do you love him? I mean, are you in love with him?" she clarified, knowing that Chloe obviously loved Oliver as a friend after everything she'd been through.

Chloe leaned back in her seat and watched Lois for a minute. “I am, but he doesn’t know that,” she told her, “Yet,” she added. She cleared her throat and took another sip of water. “What about you and Clark?” She asked wanting to steer the subject away from her and Oliver. “That seems like an odd match. I wouldn’t have expected the two of you to get together.” She said lightly.

Lois recognized a subject change when she heard one, but she was so relieved that Chloe was talking to her that she was fine with ignoring it. "Yeah, we didn't get along at all at first. I blamed him for you being gone. It was mean and irrational and he still stuck by me and was there for me when I needed a friend." She sent Chloe a sad smile. "Things were really hard on both of us and we bonded over that, even if we are as different as night and day."

Well at least he was there for someone, she thought bitterly before guilt filled her chest. Chloe gave Lois half a smile. “That’s good. I’m glad the two of you are happy.” She said struggling to find more for them to talk about. She hated that things were so strained, but she wasn’t sure how to reconnect with Lois after everything that had happened.

"Thanks," Lois said as she felt the awkwardness settling between them again. "I hope things work out for you and Oliver. Maybe we should order," she suggested. Lois hated to admit it, but they really needed the distraction of food. She wondered if things would ever get easier for them.

Chloe nodded as she picked up one of the menus. “That’s a good idea.” She said as she glanced over the menu with a light sigh. Things weren’t going great, but they also weren’t terrible. She supposed they could have been a lot worse. Maybe after today they would get together again and things would be a little less awkward, Chloe figured only time would tell.

______

 

Chloe leaned against the back of the elevator as she watched the numbers getting higher as she made her way up to the clocktower. Lunch with Lois while not entirely comfortable, hadn’t been the disaster she expected it to be. It was nice sitting there talking with her cousin again, but at the same time it was strange trying to get to know her all over again and fill in the blanks from the last six years.

It was hard and Chloe was almost positive the whole thing was going to take time because there was only so much she could take at a designated time. The elevator jerked to a stop and made a noise as the apartment came into view. She pushed up the gate and stepped over the threshold. She tossed the keys to Oliver’s car on the small table and paused when she saw a suitcase near Oliver’s desk.

Chloe’s face brightened slightly as she moved into the apartment, her heartbeat picking up speed. “Ollie?” She called out loud enough to be heard through the clocktower and she moved further into the apartment to try and find him.

Oliver made his way out of the kitchen, a bottle of water in his hand, as he moved down the hall toward the living room. He'd been hoping to get back before Chloe had left for her lunch with Lois, but the flight had gotten delayed because of some bad weather over the mountains. He turned the corner to walk into the living room and grinned when he saw Chloe. Oliver had missed her like crazy the past few days. "Hey Sidekick," he said brightly. 

Chloe grinned quickly closing the distance between them and practically knocking him back with the fore of her hug. “You’re back,” she said as her arms wrapped around his neck carefully. She felt his arms automatically wrap around her waist and she melted into him. “I missed you Hero,” she said softly glad that he was finally back. Even though it had only been a couple of days it had felt like a hell of a lot longer.

"I missed you too," Oliver told her. He held her in his arms for a moment, enjoying the feeling of being close to her again. He'd done everything he could to wrap up his business stuff quickly because he'd hated being away from her, even though Oliver had known it was probably the right move. He pulled back a little, keeping his arms around Chloe, but wanting to look at her. "How'd things go here?" he asked. 

Chloe shrugged. “They went okay,” she said lightly, “They were a little weird without you here, but better than I expected I suppose.” She said while letting her hands slid down his chest. “How was Star City? Did you get a chance to see the guys?” She asked softly as she glanced up at him and stayed in his arms.

Oliver shook his head. "No, I was busy with work and most of them are still out of town. AC was back, but our schedules were conflicting. By the time I got home, he was patrolling and then I had to be at the office first thing in the morning." He brushed his hand over her cheek, his arm tightening around her waist. "How was your lunch with Lois?" he asked.

Chloe made a face as she leaned into his touch. “Lunch was awkward,” she said her grip tightening on him, “But also not terrible.” She admitted as she pressed herself closer to him seeking out his warmth. “I’m really glad you’re back.” She told him and hesitated before leaning up and pressing a kiss to his cheek letting her lips linger there.

Oliver brought his hand up, threading his fingers through her hair and turning her head so he could capture her mouth beneath his. Oliver kissed her slowly, enjoying the feeling of being close to her after being gone for so long. Oliver deepened the kiss, his other hand splaying across her lower back as he brought her closer to him. When the kiss broke, he pulled back and smiled at her. "I'm really glad I'm back too. I would have been here sooner, but we hit some bad weather on the flight back. I wanted to be here if you needed me today," he said.

Chloe expression softened, her body melting into him as she reached up and cupped his cheeks. “You’re really good to me,” she said softly, “Far better than I deserve,” she admitted as she capturing his lips again, deepening he kiss and moaning softly into his mouth as she pressed herself against him. God she had missed this, she had missed _him_.

Oliver returned the kiss, not breaking away until air became an issue. "You deserve the best, Chloe," he told her matter-of-factly. Oliver knew she didn't believe that, but he did. "I'd do anything to make you happy," he admitted as he pressed another kiss to her lips. "We should talk about this," he said. Oliver had made the firm decision that he was not going to let them get carried away again until they had a chance to have a real conversation.

Chloe nodded, “We should,” she said before as she captured his lips again enthusiastically. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss yet again exploring the inner cavern of his mouth. She didn’t pull back until her lungs burned. She pressed her forehead against his. “I like you,” she whispered.

"Well I would hope so or these past five years have been a complete lie," Oliver deadpanned. He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "I know that's not what you meant," he said before she could protest. "I like you too, Chloe. I never really admitted to myself just how much until I thought you were gone," he said quietly.

Chloe pressed her hands against his chest. “I didn’t realize I liked you, I mean you know like that until I was gone,” she said softly. “But Ollie, what I feel for you,” she whispered as she shifted closer, “It’s so much...I’ve wanted to tell you, but I didn’t think it was the right time. You were angry.” She admitted, “Rightfully so,” she added quickly. “I need you to know now though.” She said softly.

"Part of the reason it hurt so much was because of the way I felt about you," Oliver admitted. He was incredibly relieved that she seemed to be on the same page he was, but Oliver still wanted to get everything out in the open.

"You're the only person who could hurt me that much and I know you didn't mean to and I really have forgiven you, but it just made me see that I shouldn't have wasted so much time. I don't want to make that mistake again," Oliver said. He knew there were no guarantees in life, especially with their line of work and he didn't want to waste time when all he wanted was to be with her.

“Me either,” she said as she leaned up and cupped his cheeks. “I don’t want to waste anymore time.” She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but something stopped her. She pressed a kiss to his lips. “So, we like each other,” she said as she kissed his jaw, “Does that mean you and I are a couple?” She asked as she continued trailing her lips over his jaw.

"Well I'd hope so because I'd be pretty mad if you tried to date some other guy," Oliver told her as he enjoyed the feeling of her lips moving over his jaw. "Of course this means, I'll have to take you out on an actual date. I'd hate for you to think your new boyfriend is a cheapskate," he teased as he twirled a strand of her hair around his finger.

Chloe’s face brightened and she tilted her head back slightly to look at him. “My boyfriend,” she said feeling the word out before her grin widened. “I think I like the sound of that,” she said before capturing his lips in a long drawn out kiss. When Chloe finally broke her lips away from his she trailed her hands up his chest until they were wrapped around his neck loosely. “So, boyfriend,” she said exaggerating the word. “What now?” She asked as she met his gaze.

Oliver grinned as he settled his hands on her hips, tugging her closer. "Now is up to you. I did just get back from a long, difficult business trip. You should probably take my mind off of that," he teased as he dipped his head and trailed his mouth over her neck. "Or I suppose I could give you the present I brought back for you, as promised."

Chloe tilted her head to the side giving him better access to her neck. “You really brought me back something?” She asked as she threaded her fingers through the back of his hair letting a soft moan fall from her lips. She was thinking that taking his mind off his trip was definitely a good idea.

"Of course I did," Oliver replied. He pressed a lingering kiss to her pulse point and then pulled away from her so he could move toward his bag. "I told you I would." He reached into the pocket and pulled out a small plastic bag. He held it out to Chloe. "This is a fresh supply of coffee from that place you like on Maple." He pulled a small box out of his pocket. "But this is your real present."

Chloe heart warmed as she took the bag and then the box. “You really didn’t have to get me anything,” she said softly as she shifted the bag and gripped the sides of the box before lifting it open. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the bracelet nestled against the velvet inside the box. “Ollie, this is beautiful,” she said her chest filling with affection as she glanced up at him. “I love it,” she took it gently out of the box, “Will you put it on me?” She asked as she took a step closer to him, her heartbeat speeding up in her chest.

Oliver nodded, taking the bracelet from her and fastening it around her wrist. He held her hand in his so they could both see the jewelry shining against her skin. "I'm glad you like it and I know I didn't have to buy you anything, but I wanted to," he said. Oliver lifted his other hand to cup her cheek, tilting her head back to meet his gaze. "I missed you, Chloe." It didn't matter that it had only been a few days or that they'd talked and texted a lot. He'd been counting the minutes until he could come home to her.

Chloe swallowed hard and nodded. “Me too,” she whispered as she stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his midsection. “Next time I think I should be allowed to come with you so I don’t have to miss you so much,” she said softly as she tightened her grip on him and pressed another kiss to his jaw, letting her lips linger there.

"You can come with me anytime you want," Oliver replied. "But I am proud of you for sticking it out here by yourself. However, I am back now and I'm all yours for as long as you want me," he told her before he dipped his head and covered her mouth with his.

Chloe cupped his cheek and returned the kiss, deepening it and drawing it out. She didn’t break it until air became an issue. She rested her forehead against his and grinned. “I want you for forever.” She said softly as she ran a hand down his chest. “Thank you for the coffee,” she said as she brushed her nose near his neck.

"Forever, huh?" Oliver replied. "I hope you don't get tired of me before then," he teased as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him. "You don't have to thank me. I know how much you love coffee and I wanted to make sure you had the best," he said. Oliver pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He was really happy to be home.

Chloe grinned. “Best boyfriend ever,” she teased as she leaned into him. “So Hero, how about that dinner?” She asked as she tilted her head to the side and ran a hand down his chest. Chloe was pretty sure she couldn’t be happier.

"We could go out," Oliver suggested. "Or we could stay in and watch a movie," he said as he dipped his head and pressed kisses to her neck once more. "The choice is yours," he said. 

Chloe groaned as her head tilted to the side, her hand sliding up his chest and threading through the back of his hair. “Suddenly I’m thinking staying in is a much better idea than going out,” She said softly.

"I think you're right, Sidekick," Oliver agreed. He gently sucked on her skin. "What do you say I see what we've got in the kitchen and I'll make us dinner?" he suggested. Oliver pulled back to meet her gaze. "I might even let you pick the movie if you play your cards right."

Chloe snorted and pressed her palm firmly against his chest shoving him gently. “I’ll definitely be picking out the movie,” she said with an arched eyebrow before grinning. “But dinner sounds delicious.” She said softly.

He laughed. "All right," Oliver agreed. He nodded toward the kitchen. "I'll get started on dinner. Oh, and in case I wasn't clear..." His voice trailed off and he dipped his head, kissing her softly. "It's really nice to be home." Oliver winked at her, still grinning as he turned and headed for the kitchen.

 

______

 

 

Chloe grinned as Oliver pushed up the elevator gate and waited for her to walk over the threshold. She turned her ice cream cone in her hand and licked the side as she moved into the apartment, her face flush from the cool weather outside. It was just starting to get cold in Metropolis, but despite that they had stopped for ice cream on their way home from their first official date.

It had been four days since they became a couple and Oliver had taken her to dinner and then they’d spent a little over an hour at the local art gallery for an Ansel Adams exhibit. He was Chloe’s favorite photographer and she’d been surprised that Oliver had remembered. She shrugged off her coat and turned to face him her heart warming as she took him in.

At first, Chloe had been nervous. It had been a really long time since she’d gone on a date and it was certainly different than dating as a teenager. But she should have realized there was no reason to be nervous or freak out. It was Oliver and there wasn’t anyone in the world she was more comfortable with.

Chloe caught his gaze and grinned as she took another lick of her ice cream. “Thanks for stopping on the way back.” She said lightly, “I’ve been craving mint chocolate chip all day.” She admitted with a sheepish green.

"You're welcome," Oliver replied as he shrugged off his leather jacket and tossed it over the back of the chair. He was doing his best not to stare at her as she licked the ice cream, but he couldn't help that his mind was drifting to less than friendly places. Their first official date had gone well or at least it had for him and he was fairly certain Chloe had had a good time.

It had felt like a date, even though they had done stuff like that in the past, but things were different between them now and he really enjoyed it. "It's getting a little cold outside," he commented as he walked to the wet bar and poured himself a glass of scotch. "Are you ready for a Kansas winter?" he asked.

Chloe let out a wistful sigh. “No,” she said as she turned in his direction so she was staring at his back. “It’s cold,” she said with a pout. “I’ve gotten used to California winters. Now more than half my wardrobe is going to be useless,” she paused, “Not that I have much here,” she said with a frown realizing if they were going to stay in Metropolis for the foreseeable future she would need to bring some of her stuff there.

Oliver raised an eyebrow as he turned to face her. "Are you changing your mind about Metropolis, Sidekick?" he asked. "I can call the pilot and we can be back in California in no time." He took a sip of his drink. "Or we could just take an extended vacation somewhere warm for a few months." Oliver wasn't a huge fan of winter and the idea of a vacation was appealing.

Chloe held his gaze for a minute and then tilted her head to the side. “If you’re staying here, I’m staying here.” She said lightly.  “I told you,” she said as she wrapped the small amount of ice cream she had left in her cone in the napkins she was holding and tossed it in the trash. “My home is where you are,” she finished as she closed the distance between them and rested her hands against his chest.

Oliver set his drink down on the desk and then wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. "Good to know and very convenient because my home is definitely wherever you are," he told her. Oliver cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb over her chin. "So tell me, Sidekick, how would you rate our first date?" he asked.

Chloe leaned into his touch and grinned before sending him a mock thoughtful look. “Hmm, for a first date I suppose it was okay,” she teased before gripping his waist and squeezing lightly. “You definitely hit it out of the ballpark Romeo.” She said with a wink.

He grinned. "I'm glad you thought so. It would be pretty terrible if I failed to impress you after all these years of us being friends." Oliver tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I had fun tonight, Chloe. More fun than usual," he added, knowing she would understand what he meant. That was the great thing about their relationship; Chloe knew him better than anyone and he always felt like he could be himself around her.

Chloe’s expression softened. “Me too,” she said lightly. “Thank you for an amazing first date.” A mischievous grin filled her face as she held his gaze. “I think this is the part of the night where we say goodnight and head our separate ways,” she teased.

"Oh," Oliver said, recognizing the look on her face. "Is that what time it is already? Should I walk you to the guest room and give you a chaste kiss on the cheek?" he teased. Oliver knew she was joking, but there was a part of him that was a little uncertain about how fast they should take things. They'd already come close to having sex twice, but ever since they'd agreed that they wanted to be together they'd managed to keep their hormones under control. Oliver didn't want to rush her into anything she wasn't ready for.

Chloe bit the inside of her cheek humor in her eyes. “Well I’d hate to miss out on that part of the tradition.” She said as she shifted closer to him, “But the guest bedroom is sort of lonely,” she said letting her voice trail off as she pressed a light kiss to his jaw. Chloe had been sleeping in Oliver's bed since they decided they were in a relationship, but nothing had really happened between them since the last time they'd been interrupted by Lois.

"Ah, I could see how that could be a problem," Oliver commented. He tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer to him. "Well, I suppose if you want, you can stay with me in my room, like you have been," he teased before he dipped his head and covered her mouth with his. Every time he kissed her, Oliver couldn't help thinking that they should have been doing that for years. 

Chloe moaned into his mouth and reached up cupping his cheek as she returned the kiss. She moved her mouth over his as she pressed herself against him not breaking the kiss until air became an issue. She rested her forehead against his and smiled.”I suppose I can do that,” she said teasingly before shifting back enough to see his face. “Are you tired?” She asked curiously.

"Not particularly," Oliver replied. It was still fairly early and he was keyed up from their date. "Why do you ask? Did you want to head to bed?" he asked as he absently ran his hand over her lower back.

Chloe shook her head, “No,” She said softly as she leaned into the touch. “Just making sure you’re not planning on falling asleep on me any time soon,” she teased even though it was usually her falling asleep on him.

"You have my full attention, I assure you," Oliver said. He dipped his head and kissed her again, moving his mouth slowly over hers before he deepened the kiss. The hand that was stroking her back slipped below her shirt to rub her bare skin.

Chloe’s heartbeat picked up speed as her hand slid up and cupped Oliver’s cheek. She let him deepen the kiss as she shifted even closer to him, the feel of his hand against the skin of her back making her body warm. She broke the kiss when her lungs started to burn, a light smile playing at her lips. “Good to know,” she said softly before her mouth was on his again.

Oliver returned the kiss, his hand sliding into her hair as he tilted her head back and deepened the kiss. He loved the feeling of her mouth moving beneath his. When air started to become an issue, he trailed his mouth over her neck, kissing and nipping at her skin. "Have I mentioned how great you look tonight?" he asked.

Chloe let a soft noise fall from her throat as she tilted her head to give him better access of her neck. A wave of anticipation sailed through her as she threaded her hand through his hair and bit her lower lip. She swallowed heavily and gave a slight nod. “You did, but I’m absolutely okay with hearing it again.” She told him softly as she gripped his waist with her free hand pulling him flush against her.

Oliver smiled against her skin, as he tightened his grip on her. "Well in that case, you look amazing. Then again, I've always thought so. But at least now I don't have to hide it anymore." He raised his head from her neck to meet her gaze. "I think you're incredible, Chloe."

Chloe’s expression softened and she reached up to cup his cheek. “You never have to hide anything from me Ollie,” her words were hushed as she held his gaze. “I think you’re amazing, I always have,” she whispered before gripping the back of his neck and capturing his lips in an enthusiastic kiss.

Oliver returned the kiss, deepening it slowly as he pulled Chloe closer to him. When his lungs started to burn for air, he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. His heart was beating fast in his chest and he knew if they kept this up, there was a good chance they were going to end up taking things to the next level, which he very much wanted to do. "Tell me what you want, Chloe," He said quietly, needing the choice to be completely hers.

Chloe bit her lower lip not sure why she was suddenly nervous. They had almost had sex three times and she wanted him. She ran a hand down his chest, took a deep breath, and held his gaze. "I want you," she said simply, her voice soft.

"I want you too," Oliver replied, relieved by her answer, even if he did notice that she seemed a little hesitant. "Why don't we go upstairs?" he suggested. There was no reason for them to be in the middle of the living room when they had waited what felt like forever for this moment. He reached out, brushing his fingers over her cheek. "It's okay to change your mind," he said, not wanting to pressure her.

Chloe leaned into his touch and then reached out for his hand as she shook her head. "I don't want to change my mind." She said as she threaded her fingers through his. "Let's go upstairs," she said giving him a gentle tug even as her stomach fluttered again.

"Okay," Oliver agreed. He let her tug him in the direction of the stairs, following her toward the master bedroom. Once they walked into the room, Oliver reached for Chloe, pulling her close to him again before he dipped his head and kissed her. "I want you all the time, Chloe," he whispered against her lips. "Ever since that first time we kissed, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it."

"Me either," she said as she cupped his cheeks and pressed another kiss to his lips. Her heart was slamming against the wall of her chest; she wouldn't be surprised if Oliver could feel it. Chloe moved her lips over his, deepening the kiss as anticipation and a hint of trepidation passed through her.  
  
All of the other times they'd almost had sex had been spontaneous. This...this was a decision. She was exhilarated, excited, and nervous all at once. This would make their new status that much more real.

Even though it made him feel silly, Oliver couldn't help feeling a little nervous. It wasn't like they hadn't come close to this point before, but he knew it was a line they'd never be able to uncross and at least they were going into this with their eyes open this time and not letting their hormones make the decision for them. But Chloe was still his best friend and she was the person who mattered most to him and the last thing he wanted was for things to be uncomfortable between them. The kiss broke and Oliver met her eyes for a moment before he started to unbutton her shirt slowly.

He parted the halves, his eyes drinking her in as he pushed the material down her shoulders. "You are gorgeous," he told her matter-of-factly before he lowered his head and started trailing his mouth over her neck, alternating between kissing and sucking her soft skin.

Chloe sucked in a sharp breath and let her head lull to the side, the feel of his lips moving against her skin sending a wave of warmth through her body. “You’re biased,” she whispered as she threaded her fingers into his hair. She stayed like that for a minute enjoying the feelings he was creating inside of her before letting her hand slide down his neck to his shirt.

She shifted back and met his gaze as she reached forward and unbuttoned his shirt just as slowly as he had unbuttoned hers. Chloe swallowed hard her eyes dropping to his chest as she pushed the material off his shoulders. “God, Ollie.”

He smiled at her as he stepped back to shrug the shirt off his shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. "I'm not biased. I just know a good thing when I see it." Oliver let his eyes trail over her again, darkening, as his grin widened. "A very good thing," he corrected before he stepped forward and kissed her again. This time, there was nothing slow or gentle about it.

His mouth moved hungrily over hers as he let his hand slide over her side and then back up again until he could cup her breast in his palm. He massaged it gently, letting his thumb brush against her pebbled nipple as his other hand settled on her lower back, pulling her tight against him.

Chloe moaned into his mouth, breaking the kiss a few seconds later and turning her head to the side so she could suck in a sharp breath. The feel of his hand moving against her breast made arousal shoot through her body. She ran a hand down his stomach, her nails scrapping lightly against his skin as she captured his lips again in a hard kiss, her body tingling from his touch.

Oliver returned the kiss, his muscles tensing beneath her touch as his pulse started to race. He was already all the way turned on as he ached to touch her. The first few times had been a mad rush, but now that he knew this was what they both wanted, he wanted to take his time. He just wasn't sure his body was on board for that. 

He broke this kiss and gently tugged her back with him toward the bed. He sat down on the edge, pulling Chloe down with him before he captured her mouth once more.

Chloe molded her lips to his and deepened the kiss as she shifted beside him. Her heart felt like it was going to leap out of her chest any second, but all she could focus on was his lips. Chloe could feel his hand against her waist and she placed one of her hands over his and slid it down to the zipper on her skirt.

She broke the kiss and let her lips trail over his jaw. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” She whispered against his skin.

Oliver took the hint and lowered the zipper before he pushed the skirt over her hips and down her legs until she could kick it aside. His eyes roamed over her again as he settled his hand on her stomach, lightly stroking her skin with his fingertips as he enjoyed the feeling of her lips against his jaw. "Well I know what you do to me," he told her as he let his hand trail higher until he caught the clasp of her bra between his fingers and popped it open. "I think about you all the time, Chloe." He leaned into her and pressed his lips against her heartbeat. 

Chloe sucked in a sharp breath when she felt his lips against her chest. Warmth sailed through her and she swallowed hard and shifted so she was lying back, tugging Oliver with her. She held his gaze and hesitated before shrugging out of her bra and pushing it aside. She ran a hand down his chest pausing at his belt.

“I think about you all the time too Ollie,” her voice was soft as she unbuckled his belt slowly. When it was undone she met his gaze again, “No one’s ever made me feel like this,” she admitted in a whisper as she tugged on his pants lightly trying to get him to take them off as her heart beat frantically in her chest.

"I like making you feel good," Oliver told her. He pressed another kiss against her heart and then his mouth trail over the swell of her breast. He brought his hand up to her other breast, teasing her nipple between her fingers as he swirled his tongue around the hard peak. Oliver suckled her as he slipped his other hand between her legs, cupping her gently before he ran his fingers over her panties. He could feel her moisture through the fabric and his cock throbbed as he anticipated finally being inside of her. "God, I want you, Chloe. So much," he whispered against her skin as he continued to tease her. 

Chloe arched into his touch a moan leaving her throat as her hand gripped the sheets. “Oh god Ollie,” she gasped as her other hand threaded through his hair holding him to her breast. Pleasure tore through her as she rocked her hips against his hand trying to create more friction between her legs. “I want you too,” she said through a deep breath, “I want you now Ollie,” she moved her hand from the sheets and brushed it hesitantly against his open pants. “Please,” she whispered as she tugged his head away from her breast and captured his lips in a hard kiss.

He sucked in a sharp breath under her hesitant touch, but then she was kissing him and his body was instantly in overdrive. Oliver deepened the kiss as he pressed himself firmly against her, rocking his hips into hers. Even with the layers of clothes they were still wearing between them, the sensation was incredible.

When air started to become an issue, Oliver pulled back, meeting her gaze as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties and he slid them off and out of his way. She was sprawled naked beneath him and he let his eyes roam over her, noting the way her skin was flushed and her chest was rapidly rising and falling. He brushed his fingers over her sex again, this time, letting two fingers slide into her wet heat. "You feel incredible," he told her as he started a steady rhythm, stretching her around his fingers as he brushed his thumb against her swollen clit. 

Chloe arched into Oliver her hand gripping his arm as she spread her legs wider for him. “Jesus,” she gasped as she bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. It felt like sparks were shooting through her body as his fingers continued to move inside of her. She moaned, “So good,” she rocked her hips into his hand her nails clutching at his skin as her body warmed beneath him.

She could feel pressure building in her lower belly and she gripped his arm harder for purchase. “Ollie,” she gasped as she threw her head back and continued moving her hips the sensations he was creating inside of her driving her wild.

He could feel her muscles starting to tighten around his fingers and Oliver began thrusting faster as he leaned forward and took her nipple in his mouth again. She arched into him and he was spurred on by the little noises falling from her lips as her nails dug into his skin. Oliver brushed his fingers over her clit again before he pinched the bundle of nerves between his fingers.

"Come on, Chloe," he urged. "I can feel how close you are." He continued moving his fingers inside of her as her inner walls gripped him. Oliver rubbed his thumb in hard circles over her clit and then gently bit down on her nipple, his eyes never leaving her face so he could watch her go over the edge.

Chloe threw her head back and cried out his name as she came hard, her body arching into his. Her inner muscles clenched around his fingers squeezing them as his name tumbled from her lips again. Pleasure rippled through her entire body, small noises continuing to fall from her throat as she attempted to catch her breath. She whimpered while his fingers continued to move inside of her drawing out her orgasm as her body shivered beneath him.

Oliver helped her ride out the orgasm before he pulled his fingers back, bringing them to his mouth and licking them clean as he watched the pleasure cross her face. She was breathing heavily as she fell back against the bed and Oliver shifted, leaning over her and meeting her eyes for a moment before he dipped his head and kissed her. "That was incredibly hot," he whispered against her lips before he deepened the kiss.

Chloe groaned as she slid her hand back into his hair and returned the kiss. She broke it when air became an issue, “Wow,” she said softly as she kissed him again while her hand slid down his chest and slipped into his pants. “I want you,” she whispered pausing before sliding her hand into his boxers and gripping his shaft carefully. Chloe sucked in a deep breath at the feel of him against her palm and held his gaze as she stroked him experimentally.

Oliver groaned as her hand moved over him and suddenly the only sound he heard was his heartbeat echoing between his ears. He shifted back, gently pulling her hand away and sending her a smile when he saw the confused look on her face. "If you keep that up, this is going to be over embarrassingly soon," he admitted. Oliver moved off the bed long enough to pull off his pants and boxers, discarding them on the floor before he got back on the bed and settled himself between her legs. Oliver met her gaze before he dipped his head and kissed her again, slowly drawing it out until they were both breathless.

Gripping his cock in his hand, Oliver brought himself to her entrance, rubbing himself against her as her hips arched off the bed to meet his. Oliver knew she was tight and he was doing his best to control himself as he slowly sank into her body, giving her time to adjust to his presence as he reached between them and rubbed his thumb over her clit. "Relax, Chloe,' he told her when he felt her body tensing up around him. 

Her brows drew together and she let out a breath as she tried to focus on the feel of his thumb on her clit. Her breathing grew heavy again as she lifted her hips, her body tensing again as her nails clipped his skin. “Sorry,” she whispered as she spread her legs wider and wrapped them around his waist. She could feel arousal beginning to flow inside of her again and she let out a short moan as she lifted her hips slowly, the action sending a dull throb through her body as the pain started to ebb away

"It's okay," Oliver said. He held onto his self-control as he started to move slowly, giving her body extra time to adjust. He could feel some of the tension starting to ease and he captured her mouth beneath his for a long, drawn-out kiss as he started to move his hips a little faster. His thumb was still pressing against her clit and when her hips started meeting his thrusts, he broke the kiss, his mouth trailing over her neck and chest.

"You feel so good, Chloe." He couldn't believe this was finally happening. If he was honest with himself, he'd wanted her for years. How could he not? She was beautiful, smart, funny and the best friend he'd ever had. Oliver never wanted to lose her again. 

“You too,” she breathed as she held onto his body and tightened her legs around him. Chloe moaned his name as she lifted her hips harder moving with him as his finger continued to tease her clit. She’d dreamt about this moment, but she never imagined it would be this amazing. She loved Oliver, probably for a lot longer than she realized.

He was her everything, she’d never been so comfortable and open with anyone before. He slammed into her hitting a particular angle that made all thoughts drop from her head as she let out a short cry. “Ollie, please, oh god,” her nails raked down his back as her hips jerked beneath his, the feel of him sliding in and out of her creating a delicious friction inside of her body. She could feel the pressure building again, her stomach muscles clenching and she the thought that she never knew sex could be like this briefly slid through her mind.

Oliver's control was slowly slipping away and each time she cried out his name or raked her nails over his skin, he felt himself getting closer and closer to the point of no return. He loved the feeling of being inside of her and the way she reacted to his touch. His heart was pounding against the wall of his chest as he continued thrusting into her, speeding up his movements as her hips rose of the bed to meet his. Oliver ran his tongue over the curve of her breast before gently biting her nipple as he increased the pressure on her clit. Her inner muscles were tightening around his cock and he could tell she was close.

"You're so hot," Oliver told her as he watched the pleasure crossing her face. He pinched her clit and she made a noise that nearly made him lose it, but he held on, wanting her to come apart first. He continued pinching and stroking her clit, his eyes on hers as he slammed his hips into her again and again. "Come on, Chloe," he urged, "Let go for me."

Chloe gasped the stimulation too much for her as she threw back her head and sobbed his name, nails digging into his back as she came hard, her body exploding with pleasure around him. Small noises fell from her throat as her inner muscles clamped down on his cock, pulsating and squeezing around him as pleasure surged inside of her. Her body shook with the force of her release, eyes squeezed shut as she attempted to catch her breath.

“Oh my god,” she whispered before a whimper fell from her throat as Oliver moved erratically above her, the friction he created between her thighs drawing out her orgasm making her feel things she could honestly say she’d never felt before.

Oliver groaned when he felt her muscles clamping down around him and he thrust into her one more time before completely losing control. His body shook, his hips moving frantically against hers as his release hit him hard. Oliver cried out her name, lights flashing in front of his eyes as he lowered his head to her neck and mumbled incoherently against her skin until he finally stopped moving.

Breathing hard, he shifted so he was lying beside her instead of on top of her, but kept his arms wrapped tightly around her. Oliver waited for his heart to slow down to normal speed before he turned his head and pressed a kiss to Chloe's temple. "That was incredible," he said.

Chloe nodded instantly shifting and pressing herself against his side. “It really, really was,” she said as she kissed his jaw before nipping at it lightly. She rubbed her nose against his neck before resting her head on his chest. Her hand trailed across his stomach as she grinned.

“That was so much better than I imagined,” she said before flushing, “Not that I imagined it would be bad or anything,” she said flustered realizing how what she said might have sounded. Her cheeks reddened more if it was possible. “I’m just going to lie here quietly now,” she told him while burying her face near his neck wondering why she was couldn’t just keep her mouth shut.

Oliver laughed and wrapped his arms around her tighter, pressing another kiss to the top of her. "It's okay, Sidekick. It was better than I imagined too and believe me; I've been imagining it a lot." He let his fingers trail over her bare back, tracing her spine with his fingertips. He thought it only made her more adorable that she was embarrassed by her words. Chloe was a big talker and she always had a quip for everything so it was endearing to see that she was so flustered. 

Chloe grinned against his skin as she shifted closer to him her body warming at his words. She tilted her head back and caught his gaze. “Is that so?” She asked eyebrow arched. “Tell me Hero, exactly how long have you been imaging doing dirty things to me?” She asked with a small grin as a hint of humor flickered in her eyes.

Oliver arched an eyebrow. "Do you want an exact date and time?" he teased as he continued to trace her back with his fingers. "It's crossed my mind in the past, but it was always one of those, 'Chloe is your best friend, you can't think of her like that' fleeting thoughts. Then you came back and I just wanted to hold you and never let go." His voice wavered a bit as familiar pain made his chest tight. "But ever since that first kiss, I've been picturing us ending up here. I didn't want to push you into anything you weren't ready for," he added. 

Chloe caressed his chest lightly. “You didn’t,” she said softly. “When I was gone, you were all I thought about and when I came back…all I wanted was you.” The words came out in a whispered as she shifted her head and pressed a kiss to his chest. She rested her hand over his heart. “I’m really happy Ollie.”

"I am too, Chloe," Oliver said. He held her tightly as he relaxed against the pillows. He really was happy; happier than he'd ever thought possible, especially after the hell he'd gone through when he'd thought Chloe had died. He'd never expected to get a second chance with her and Oliver was determined to make the most of it and do everything he could to make sure she knew just how happy she made him. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chloe’s finger’s moved against the keyboard quickly as she typed out a message to Victor. She finished it off and sent the email before rolling her neck and sitting back in the chair. She glanced at the clock and made a face when she realized how late it was. She’d spent her morning helping AC and Bart with a mission and was just now sending all the information to Victor. She leaned forward again and signed out of the system right as she heard footsteps in the hallway.

She glanced up and grinned when she spotted Oliver. It had been three days since their first official date and although they hadn’t technically had another one yet they’d spent most of the last three days together. Chloe shifted in her seat and crossed her legs. “Hey, Hero whatcha up to?” She asked lightly as she let her eyes trail over his body briefly before catching his gaze.

He smirked as he watched her eyes trail over him. "I was just finishing up a few things," Oliver replied. Since Chloe had been busy helping the guys, he'd focused on doing work for Queen Industries that had been piling up since his mind had been elsewhere the past few days. "I was actually coming to see if you would be interested in going out to dinner tonight," he said. 

Chloe tilted her head to the side and arched an eyebrow. “I always want to have dinner with you,” she said as she motioned for him to come closer. “Where do you want to go?” She asked lightly.

Oliver sat down beside her, reaching out to brush a piece of hair away from her face. He knew she wasn't going to like what he had to say, but he really believed it was time for her to face things head on. "There's an Italian place on Maple that's really good. I was thinking we could have Lois and Clark meet us there around seven," he said.

Chloe frowned slightly. “Oh,” she said lightly as she pursed her lips and glanced at the computer.  “I don’t know maybe we should stay close to the apartment tonight…In case the guys have any issues or anything,” she said letting her voice trail off, “Why don’t we do it another night.” She said as she started to turn back towards the computer.

"Chloe," Oliver said, purposely drawing out all the syllables in her name, as he reached out and placed one of his hands over hers. "I know you don't want to do this, but the longer you put it off, the harder it's going to be." He brushed his thumb against hers. "Talk to me, Sidekick," he said. "Tell me what you're afraid of." He couldn't help her if he didn't know what she needed him to fix.

Chloe sighed and glanced back at him. “Having lunch with Lois was awkward enough. I don’t want to have dinner with her and Clark.” she said quietly. Sure things had gone better with Lois than she had expected, but she still felt weird around her cousin, like she was trying to pick her a part and figure out every single thing that happened to her and Chloe didn’t want Lois to know.

She didn’t want anyone to know. She didn’t want their pity and she certainly didn’t want their guilt. Chloe glanced down at her hands. “I know about Clark,” she said her voice quiet. “About his powers…I found out right before Lex took me.” Her chest tightened and she glanced up at Oliver.

“You mean to tell me with all of those powers of his, he couldn’t find me? I was right under his nose. I bet he was at the mansion at least three times after I disappeared. Before Lex could transfer to the labs, that’s where I was for about four days. Tied to something under the house in a room full of pipes.” She said her voice a mixture of anger and pain.

“I know he feels bad Oliver, I know Lois does too and I feel guilty for making them feel bad, but I’m not sure how to get rid of the anger inside of me. It’s like they just forgot all about me and went on with their lives,” she whispered quietly knowing she probably sounded selfish. She loved Lois and she even loved Clark and that was part of the reason this all hurt so much.

Oliver stared at her for a moment, completely thrown by the revelation that she'd known about Clark all along. Oliver had been careful not to even hint at the other man's powers because he assumed he'd want to tell Chloe himself and Oliver felt bad enough for never telling Clark and Lois the truth about Chloe in the year that he'd known them.

He couldn't help thinking about all the times the team had talked about recruiting the Blur over the years and how Chloe had never once volunteered the information that she knew his identity. Oliver wasn't really sure what to do with that information. 

But he could see that Chloe was upset so he pushed aside the hurt or betrayal or whatever the hell he was feeling at the moment and focused on her. "If you feel that strongly about this, we don't have to go. But Chloe, you need to decide if you can ever see yourself getting past all of this. I'm not saying that you should do it today or that you should necessarily do it at all. I'm not going to pretend I can imagine what you went through, but I don't want you to end up in an awkward situation or to feel like you can't leave the apartment because you might run into them. If you really don't see yourself forgiving them or working toward that, maybe we should go back to Star City," he said.

Chloe caught the look in his eyes despite the fact that it was gone quickly and her chest tightened. She focused on his words first. “I want to forgive them, I swear I do. I miss my cousin Ollie. I love how close I am with the team and with you,” she punctuated her words by taking his hands in hers, “But I don’t have anyone outside of a bunch of guys in my life. I miss the closeness I shared with Lois, but I have no idea how to get it back.” She said quietly as she squeezed his hand lightly.

Chloe let out a long before catching his gaze. She hesitated for a minute. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Clark,” her words were soft. “Even after all of those years of not seeing him and even though I was angry with him I couldn’t bring myself to out his secret.” She admitted. “He had gone through so much trouble to hide it when we were younger, I just figured if he was calling himself the Blur and saving people without taking credit he didn’t want people to know.” She paused.

“I only brought it up now because well…I assume that’s how you know him,” she said hopping she was right. “I mean Clark and my cousin don’t exactly run in the same circles as you do and if you’re doing your thing at night and patrolling you two were bound to run into each other.” She said, “I get why you didn’t tell me…And Clark doesn’t know I know at least I don’t think he does.” She sighed. “It’s just hard for me Ollie and I’m not sure how to fix things with anyone. I don’t want their pity…I don’t want to think they’re always wondering what happened I just want to move forward.”

She cupped his cheek. “I want to be happy again, I want to be with you and I want to not be angry when I see Clark and guilty when I see my cousin.” She told him realizing that most of her anger was directed at Clark and not Lois. He didn’t say anything and Chloe swallowed heavily. “Are you angry with me?”

"That is how we know each other," Oliver confirmed. "We ran into each other on patrol one night and I was stunned when I realized Clark and the Blur were one in the same." He hadn't left his apartment for three days after that first meeting because he'd been so overcome with grief after coming face to face with Chloe's childhood best friend. But he didn't see any point in sharing that part of the story with her. "I can understand why you wanted to protected Clark's secret," he added. Oliver knew he wasn't answering her question, but he wasn't sure how to do that. He wasn't angry with her exactly, but he was bothered that she hadn't said anything.

"Chloe, I know you miss Lois and I know you miss Clark too. It's me, remember?" Oliver pointed out as he squeezed her hand. He knew her better than anyone and he knew how hard it was for her to be away from them and he also knew that she wasn't going to get over being mad if she continued to keep her distance. "What do you say we compromise?" he suggested. "We'll have dinner with them tonight and if it's truly terrible, I'll find reasons to make excuses for the next month."

Chloe could see this was important to him and once she and Lois had gotten past the really awkward stage lunch hadn’t been that bad. She could do this for Oliver. She loved him enough to compromise. Besides she knew he was right. She nodded and gave him half a smile, “Okay,” she said softly. “I can do that.” She said as she brushed a thumb against his cheek. “You okay?” She asked quietly as she watched him carefully wanting to make sure they were good.

"I'm okay," Oliver told her. He would work things out in his head eventually. For now, he just wanted to be there for her. "So does seven work for you?" he asked. Oliver figured that should be enough time to get ready and head for the restaurant. 

Chloe pulled her hand back and gave him a short nod. “Yeah, sure,” she said feeling slightly put off that he wouldn’t tell her what was going through his head. But she guessed she could understand that. She’d been keeping things from him for a while. First faking her death and now this…she just kept messing up. “I guess I should probably get ready,” she said letting her voice trail off.

Oliver nodded. That strange tension was back between them and while he didn't like it, he didn't really know how to fix it either. "All right," he agreed. "I'll let Lois and Clark know that we're on for dinner," he said as he got up and pulled his phone from his pocket so he could send the text.

Chloe watched him for a minute before closing the laptop and standing. “Great,” she said though her voice was less than enthusiastic. She got up and moved around him to get ready for a dinner she didn’t particularly feel like going to.

Oliver started to call out to her and then changed his mind. He felt bad that she was upset, but the truth was that he needed some time to clear his head. He wasn't angry with Chloe for keeping Clark's secret, but he did want to know why she hadn't said anything until now. She'd obviously figured out that was how they'd known each other and she hadn't even given him a hint that she knew the truth. As much as he hated to admit it, Oliver couldn't help wondering if there were other things that she was keeping from him too. 

 

______

 

Chloe sat quietly beside Oliver her purse in her lap as they made their way to the restaurant they were meeting Lois and Clark at. She glanced out the window and did her best not to sigh. Things had been tense between her and Oliver ever since she mentioned knowing Clark’s secret and she wasn’t sure how to fix things. She could already feel the anxiety building inside of her at having to go to dinner with her cousin and Clark, add on the fact that things were now weird between her and Oliver and it was like she knew dinner was going to be horrible.

Chloe tried to stifle yet another sigh as she shifted in her seat while Oliver turned into the parking lot of the restaurant and parked the car. Her grip on her purse tightened as she let out a short breath. She sent him a sideways glance, “This place look nice,” she commented keeping her voice light as she tried to start some kind of conversation between them.

Oliver nodded. "The food is probably the best Italian that I've had in the city. I came here for a business lunch not long after I got to town and I liked how quiet it was. The tables are scattered so you don't feel like you're sitting on top of people and there's a lot of privacy." Oliver always valued that considering how much of his life he liked to keep a secret. He pocketed the car keys and noticed Chloe wasn't making any move to get out of the car. Things were still strained between them and there was a part of him that just wanted to apologize, but something was stopping him.

"Are you ready to go in or do you need a few minutes?" he asked. They were a little early and he knew Lois and Clark had never been on time a day in their lives so he wasn't worried about making them wait.

Chloe was quiet for a minute and then shrugged. “We can go in,” she said softly figuring that was probably better than sitting silently in a car with Oliver while she attempted to figure out why he was mad at her even though he insisted he wasn’t. She took a deep breath and pushed the car door open before getting out and smoothing a hand over her peacoat knowing it wouldn’t smooth out the dress she’d chosen for the evening, but it was a nervous habit nonetheless.  She pushed the door shut and glanced over at Oliver while waiting for him to make his way out of the car.

Oliver got out of the car as well, closing the door and then moving around to the other side. He could practically feel the tension that was pouring off of Chloe and he could tell she'd rather be anywhere but there. He reached for her hand, holding it in his as he tugged her to his side. "It's going to be okay," he told her as he brushed his thumb over hers. "I meant what I said before. If this doesn't go well, I'll make excuses so we don't have to do it again."

Chloe sent a brief glance in his direction as they walked towards the restaurant. “It’s fine,” she said softly, “You were right. I need to deal with this and move on.” she said quietly as she threaded their fingers together. “Do you think they’re already here?” She asked as they got to the front door and Oliver pulled it open.

"Probably not," Oliver replied, "Being on time isn't really their thing." He squeezed her hand and smiled at the hostess. She greeted him by name and led them through the restaurant to the corner table he preferred. He waited for Chloe to take a seat and then sat down beside her, passing her a menu.

The awkwardness between them was still there and he hated it. Oliver felt like he should apologize, but he wasn't sure why she was upset with him. It frustrated him when he couldn't read her. Oliver opened his menu, focusing on deciding what he wanted to order.

Chloe followed Oliver’s lead and picked up her menu as a hint of irrational resentment sparked inside of her. Of course Oliver knew what their thing was. Hell by now he probably new them better than she did. The thought made guilt blossom in her chest. It wasn’t Oliver’s fault he was close to Lois and Clark. It was hers and she needed to take responsibility for that.

The tension between her and Lois and Clark and all the anger she was feeling was her fault. And if she didn’t learn to work through it she was never going to her relationship with them back on track. Chloe cleared her throat, “I see, well hopefully they’ll be here soon; I think I underestimated how hungry I was.” She said lightly trying to ignore the weird distance she felt between them.

"We can order an appetizer if you want," Oliver offered. He knew she was trying to make small talk because things were so weird between them. "Chloe," he started.

"Hey guys," Lois called as she and Clark made their way across the restaurant. "Sorry, we're late, but you know how it is." She sent them both a smile as she took her seat across from them. Lois had been anxious for dinner all day so she could try and make more headway with her cousin.

Chloe glanced away from Oliver wondering what he’d been about to say as she sent her cousin a small smile. “Hi, Lois,” her gaze shifted to Clark and she sent him a hesitant smile. “Hey Clark, how are you?”

Clark had been anxious about coming to dinner. At first he didn’t think it was a good idea if he came seeing as Chloe seemed to have more of an issue with him than Lois, but his girlfriend had convinced him that if he didn’t start fixing things with Chloe they would never build their friendship back up and she was right.

He smiled warmly at his friend. “I’m doing good, how about you? Do you like being back in Metropolis?” He asked trying to start a conversation with her.

Chloe shrugged. “It’s where Oliver is,” she said before realizing her answer must have sounded a little short, “I guess it’s different. I’ve sort of gotten used to California over the years.” She explained keeping her tone light.

"What she means is that it's cold here and unpleasant," Oliver quipped as he rested his hand on Chloe's leg, squeezing her gently. "I keep getting texts from my friends in California, letting me know that they're spending the days at the beach." He shook his head. "Ingrates," he muttered.

Lois laughed, even though she could feel the tension coming from everyone. She knew Clark had been uncertain about this and she was guessing Chloe had been too, but she really wanted this to work. "It takes some getting used to again. Other than that, how have you been?" she asked.

“Good,” Chloe said as she did her best to relax against her seat. She placed her hand over Oliver’s before threading their fingers together. “I’ve been working with the team a lot,” she commented not sure what else to say, but wanting to try and keep the conversation going.

Clark smiled glad that Chloe didn’t seem as erratic as she had the last time he’d seen her. “That’s good,” he said as he dropped his arm around Lois’s shoulders, “Do you think you’ll be getting a job out here now that you’re back for good?” He asked carefully, his tone friendly. “You know if you wanted to come back to the Planet--”

“I don’t,” Chloe’s words cut him off abruptly and she swallowed hard and sent Clark a semi-sheepish look. “Sorry, I’m just not really looking for another job. I work with the team.” She said again. “But thank you for thinking of me.” She added wishing she could get rid of the uncomfortable air around them.

"You'd be surprised how busy things get," Oliver commented as he brushed his thumb against Chloe's, trying to get her to relax. He knew Clark hadn't meant anything by his comment, but he also knew Chloe had no interest in going backward. "Why don't we order?" he suggested as he lifted his free hand to get the waitress's attention.

"Good idea," Lois agreed. The waitress came over and everyone placed their orders. As soon as she was gone, the awkward silence fell around the table again and Lois wished she knew how to fix it. "So Ollie, how's work?" she asked.

"It's been okay; not too busy," Oliver replied. He reached for his water and took a sip. "Things usually get busier this time of year, but the mad rush hasn't started yet." He glanced at Clark. "How are things on your end?" he asked.

Clark sent him a grateful smile. “Things are going good, I’ve been busy lately the paper…and everything keeps me busy.” He said as he glanced at Lois before turning back to Oliver and Chloe. “So aside from team stuff and work, what’s new?” He asked as the waitress came over and took their orders. She was gone a few minutes later and Clark focused on Oliver and Chloe again.

Chloe shrugged again, “Not much really,” she said lightly, “Oliver and I went to a Thai food place the other night. It was good.” She said trying to offer up something to make things less awkward.

"Clark isn't a big fan of Thai food," Lois commented. She couldn't believe they were literally talking about food and the weather. "Lucy got arrested again. Drunk and disorderly this time," she said, shaking her head.

Chloe’s eyes widened. “She’s still getting arrested?” She asked as she reached out and lifted her water to take a sip. “I guess it’s safe to say she hasn’t cleaned up much over the years,” she said with half a smile. “I bet the General loves that.” She joked as her body relaxed slightly.

"He's been her personal escort lately," Lois said, smirking. "She's back to being on the base more often than not, which neither of them is really all that happy about. But maybe someday Lucy will turn around." Lois very much doubted it, but stranger things had happened. "This is where all of you guys can be grateful that you're only children," she said.

Clark chuckled and nodded, “I know I am. After meeting the General and Lucy I think I was more glad than ever to be a only child,” he joked as he rubbed a hand over Lois’s arm wanting her to know he was just kidding.

Chloe smiled as she watched them interact. They seemed happy. Her chest tightened and she brushed her thumb against her glass. “How long have you guys been together?” She asked realizing she didn’t know.

"Officially?" Lois asked as she glanced at Clark, smiling. "A little over two years, but things were simmering before that," she teased. The two of them had had a lot of ups and downs over the years and then neither of them had been big on admitting they had feelings for each other since there was still a lot of tension between them because they were such different people.

Oliver took another sip of his water, quietly listening to the conversation. He could see that Chloe was going back and forth with her emotions, but he thought she was holding up well.

Chloe nodded. “That’s nice,” she said, her tone light. “You two seem happy.” She added with a small smile as she took another sip of water.

"Most days," Lois joked. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to Clark's cheek so he'd know she was kidding. She wanted to ask what was going on with Chloe and Oliver, but for once, she didn't want to overstep her bounds. "So do you guys have any plans this weekend?" she asked.

"We do," Oliver answered before Chloe had a chance to say anything. "We're going to be in Star City for a few days. I have a benefit dinner Friday night." That was only a small part of the reason that he wanted to go home, but he figured that was a good excuse.

Chloe glanced at Oliver a hint of surprise in her face, but it was gone quickly. She ran her thumb over his hand as she realized she was happy to be going back to Star City for a little while. “What about you guys?” She asked as she tilted her head to the side feeling a little bit more comfortable now that she had when they first sat down.

Lois shrugged. "I have to work both days and I'm sure Clark will find some way to keep himself busy," she joked.

“I always do,” he said with a grin. The waitress stopped at their table with their food, placing their plates in front of them and asking if they needed anything else. When they said no, Chloe watched her go before glancing down at her food, her stomach growling slightly. She glanced up at Clark as she lifted her fork.

“How are your parents, Clark?” She asked as she pulled a forkful of pasta into her mouth.

Clark hesitated. “My Mom is good, she enjoys being a senator in Washington. And uh my Dad actually passed away…he had a heart attack.” He said quietly.

Chloe paused and glanced up her chest tightening with guilt for bringing it up. “I’m so sorry Clark…your Dad was a good man.” She said softly. He sent her half a smile as he glanced down and started to eat.

Lois sent her cousin a sympathetic smile as she patted Clark's thigh. It wasn't Chloe's fault that she didn't know; she'd been Lex's prisoner at the time. "The food looks good," she said, changing the subject. "I haven't been here in ages."

Oliver nodded. "I was telling Chloe it's some of the best I've had. It's almost as good as some of the places I've been in Italy." He squeezed Chloe's hand, knowing she was probably upset, not only for bringing up a touchy subject with Clark, but also because she had known his father.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been here.” Chloe chimed in as she took comfort in Oliver’s touch and tried to wrap her head around everything. She couldn’t believe Mr. Kent was dead and she felt bad for bringing it up. There was so much she didn’t know and wanted to know, but at the same time she felt like she didn’t have a right to know since she stayed away because of her own reasons.

Chloe had known all along that life went on without her, how could it not? But being faced with that reality was something else entirely and what made it worse was this is probably exactly how Lois and Clark felt about her life.

Clark’s voice drew her out of her thoughts. “I’ve been here once or twice,” he commented as he sent a warm smile in Lois’s direction.

"Once or twice that we didn't make it through dinner either time because someone had an emergency," Lois said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she winced, realizing what she'd said.

Oliver glanced at Chloe, not sure if now was the best time to throw that particular card on the table. "Well I'm glad we all managed to fit this in tonight," he said.

Clark glanced at Chloe and swallowed hard. “Newspaper emergencies,” he clarified sheepishly.

Chloe nodded, “Of course,” she said lightly, “And I agree with Oliver, this isn’t so bad.” she told them and for once she actually meant it. Sure it was awkward and she had no clue what to say to them, but when they weren’t throwing questions at her and they were all just trying to enjoy each other’s company it was nice.

Lois let out some of the tension she'd been holding and smiled at her cousin. "Maybe we can do it again sometime after you guys get back. Do you know how long you'll be in Star City?" she asked.

Oliver shook his head. "That's still up in the air. But I'll be sure to let you guys know when we figure it out," he said, sending a glance in Clark's direction since the other man would have to take up patrolling without him.

Clark inclined his head in Oliver’s direction letting the other man know he understood. Chloe glanced at Lois and hesitated, “Maybe when Oliver and I get back we can do some shopping or something…I don’t have much stuff out here,” she said letting her voice trail off and feeling a little strange about just throwing that out there. “I mean if you don’t mind…And maybe Ollie can come.” She said as she squeezed his hand lightly.

"That sounds like a great idea," Lois said. She did her best not to actually bounce in her seat at the fact that Chloe wanted to spend more time with her. She shifted her gaze to Oliver and smirked. "Does that mean you're buying?" she teased, feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

  
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Oliver replied. "I'm just good at shopping," he joked. Oliver was happy that Chloe was making an effort. Maybe this dinner had been a good idea after all.

Chloe smiled at Oliver before glancing at Lois and sending her cousin half a smile. She could see that her cousin was happy and she was glad she could do that. Chloe just hoped then when it came time to follow through she’d be able to do it without getting so anxious, but she’d work on it because she really wanted things to work out with Lois and Clark.

 

______

 

Oliver pulled open the gate for Chloe, letting her walk back into the penthouse first. He followed her inside, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it over the back of the couch. The rest of their dinner with Lois and Clark had gone well, even if Clark had excused himself to "the bathroom" three times in a half-hour span. Lois had literally talked a mile a minute the entire time he'd been gone and Oliver had focused on eating so he wouldn't just blurt out the truth.

Now that things were starting to get back to normal, or at least closer to normal, he didn't want to make any waves. Unfortunately, things were still strained between him and Chloe. He watched her fiddling with her purse. The car ride back had been short and silent. "So that wasn't too bad, right?" he asked, offering her a small smile.

Chloe shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, it was okay.” Things were less strained, but Chloe was starting to feel like things would never get back on track with them. There was just so much distance between her and Lois and Clark, so many moments missed that even if they managed to repair things, which she hoped they could, it would never be the same.

“You don’t mind going out with Lois and I…Do you?” She asked as she turned around to face him. “I know I didn’t ask before I suggested it, if you’d rather not that’s okay.” She said softly as she put her purse down and took off her jacket.

"I don't mind," Oliver replied truthfully. "You should know by now that if you need me, I'll be there. But I stand firm on not letting Lois anywhere near my credit card," he joked as he moved to the wet bar to pour himself a drink. "Do you want one?" he asked, glancing back over his shoulder at Chloe as he held up the bottle. 

Chloe cracked half a smile at his comment about Lois and then nodded. “Sure,” she said as she moved further into the living room and sat down on the couch. She crossed her legs and watched him as he poured another glass.

Oliver poured her drink and then carried both glasses to the couch, handing her one before he took a seat beside her. "Now that it's just us, how are you really doing?" he asked. Oliver knew Chloe could put up a good front when she wanted to, but he'd also seen a bunch of emotions cross her face throughout dinner. He knew she wasn't as okay as she was pretending she was.

Chloe took the offered glass and glanced at him from beneath her lashes before taking a long sip. She watched the glass for a minute before sighing. “I don’t know,” she said lightly. “It’s all a little overwhelming. “I’ve missed so much and it’s my own fault.” She told him quietly. “A part of me regrets staying away for all those years, but the other part wishes I never told them I was back.” She admitted softly.

“It’s all just a lot. I know it’ll get better with time, but it’ll never be the same.” she said with a shrug as she lifted the glass and took another sip of her drink.

"You're right," Oliver agreed. "It's never going to be the same." He knew it sounded harsh, but there was no reason to sugarcoat things. He'd never lied to her and he wasn't going to start now. "But that doesn't mean it can't be good again or that it can't be better than before. I know this isn't easy for you, Chloe, but I don't think this was a mistake. Lois and Clark need you and you need them too," he pointed out. 

Chloe was quiet as she watched him. “They seem to be doing just fine without me,” she said before wincing. “Sorry…Regardless of whether or not I made a mistake it’s too late to take it back now.” She told him, “But maybe you’re right. It could be better I guess.” She didn’t really want to spend the rest of the night talking about Lois and Clark. “I didn’t realize we were going to Star City,” she said casually changing the subject.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Oliver said. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to come, but I figured it would be a good excuse to avoid doing anything else with Lois and Clark until you were ready. If you'd rather stay here, I understand," he added. Oliver wanted her to go with him, but there was still tension between them and he didn't want to make it seem like he was making decisions for her. 

Chloe frowned, “Why would I want to stay here?” She asked confused. “Of course I want to go to Star City, I haven’t seen the guys in a while,” she paused, “Unless you’d rather I stay here then I guess I could,” she said suddenly feeling self-conscious. He was obviously still upset, maybe he didn’t want her to go with him.

"I want you to come with me," Oliver said, doing his best to keep the tension out of his voice. "But I didn't want to make it seem like I was taking away your decision in the matter."

Chloe could see the hint of tension in his body and she pursed her lips as she glanced back at her glass once again feeling like she'd done something wrong. The last thing she wanted was for Oliver to be upset with her. "I see," she said her tone even, "Okay, then I'll come."

He sensed her hesitation and reached out, placing his hand over hers. "What's going on, Chloe?" Oliver asked. He knew they weren't going to get past the weirdness between them until they talked about it.

Chloe glanced at him and was quiet for a minute before she glanced at his hand over hers. "I know you said you aren't upset with me," she said carefully, "But I feel like I upset you. I just keep disappointing you." She told him quietly. "There's something on your mind and you won't tell me what it is and I'm not sure why." She admitted.

Oliver was quiet for a moment. She had a valid point, but he wasn't sure what to tell her. "It's not that I'm upset with you exactly," he said as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. "When you told me that you knew about Clark, it just opened some old wounds. But it's my issue, not yours and I'm going to deal with it. I'm sorry I made you feel like you upset me," he said.

Chloe frowned. He seemed genuine enough, but that didn't really fix anything. The last thing she wanted to do was start a fight with Oliver, but she wanted to be honest with how she was feeling. She caught his gaze and hesitated feeling slightly unsure of her next words.  
  
"We're in a relationship now Oliver...aren't we supposed to work through that kind of stuff together?" She asked quietly. Chloe didn't know much about relationships, she'd only ever been in one and that was way back in high school. But what she had with Oliver was real and she wanted to make sure they were okay.

"Maybe you're right," Oliver agreed. It wasn't like he really had any real relationships in his past. He'd been with a lot of women, but he'd never been serious about any of them. When things got difficult, he'd bailed.

"I understand why you didn't tell me about Clark before. I do," Oliver stressed, wanting to make that perfectly clear. "But the fact that you didn't tell me sooner after all this bothers me," he admitted quietly. "It just makes me think about the time you were gone and there's still a part of me that worries that there are other things you're keeping from me."

A hint of surprise crossed Chloe's face followed by understanding. "I'm sorry," she said softly, "Honestly I guess I was sort of waiting for you to mention it, but I know that's silly because you would never tell someone else's secret." She paused, "A part of me is bothered by the fact that you know Lois and Clark so well. That neither of them have told me about Clark even though they know I work with your team of heroes." She told him.  
  
"I guess I never brought it up before because I thought you guys didn't want me to know. I figured Clark or Lois would tell me when they were ready I guess. I didn't mean to bring it up the other night. I was just really upset and I think its part of the reason I'm so angry at Clark. He saves random people against the odds all the time, he always has and I was his best friend and he didn't save me." She said quietly while glancing down.

Oliver set his drink down on the table and shifted on the couch so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Chloe," he said. "For what it's worth, I know Clark feels guilty and I know that doesn't change anything." He hesitated for a second, but knew he owed it to her to be honest.

"The only reason that I'm close to Lois and Clark is the same reason I never intended to be in the same room with them. You," Oliver said. "When I met Clark and then Lois, it hurt because I knew they were both connected to you and you were gone. But sometimes being with them made me feel better. Other times it made my life more difficult and that was usually when I'd escape Metropolis for a mission," he said.

Oliver reached out and brushed his fingers over her cheek. "It all comes back to you, Chloe, and how much I missed you and would have given anything to have you back."

Chloe's expression softened as she shifted closer to him and cupped his cheek. "I'm sorry, and I know that's never going to fix what I did, but I'm here now and I promise I won't leave again Ollie, no matter what." she said softly. "And I'm an open book for you. Any time you want or need to know anything all you have to do is ask. I'm not hiding anything."   
  
She held his gaze for a long moment willing him to believe her, but knowing it wasn't as simple as that. "As for Lois and Clark, I don't want them to feel guilty. Rationally I know none of this is their fault. It just hurts, some days more than others, but I'll get past it eventually." She said softly.

"It's okay not to be rational all the time," Oliver told her. "You went through hell, Chloe, and it would be strange if you didn't have lingering emotions." He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her palm. "But as far as we're concerned, I'm always here for you, no matter what. Nothing is more important to me than you are."

Oliver shifted again, wrapping both arms around her and tugging her closer until she was sitting across his lap. "I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. I do believe you when you tell me that you won't leave again. But it's that irrational part of me that can't quite accept it. I'm sorry," he added, not wanting her to feel bad because he couldn't get a grip.

Chloe's chest tightened, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and nodded. "I understand," she said softly. "But as long as we're being honest I have one more thing that I've kept to myself since I got back." Her stomach fluttered slightly as she brushed her thumb over his cheek. "Would you like to know what it is?" She asked him softly.

Oliver raised an eyebrow. He couldn't read her tone, but she looked a little nervous all of a sudden. "Go ahead, Sidekick," he said. "What did you want to tell me?"

Chloe rested her hand over his heart and held his gaze. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she spoke. "I love you," she whispered. "I've wanted to tell you since the minute I came back...but well I didn't think that would be a good idea." She explained softly. "But now you know everything...There's nothing else."

His eyes widened a little; Oliver had not been expecting that. "Wow," he said quietly. Oliver leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I love you too," he whispered. Oliver had realized how he'd felt about Chloe after he'd thought it was too late, but he'd been afraid to acknowledge it because he was too scared of losing her again.

Chloe's face brightened. "You love me." She said softly almost as if she couldn't fathom it. She smiled and captured his lips in a long drawn out kiss, deepening it until her lungs burned with a need for oxygen.   
  
When she finally broke the kiss her breathing had picked up speed as she rested her forehead against his. The small smile was back on her lips as she trailed her mouth across his jaw. "So we're okay?" She asked as her mouth continued moving over his skin.

"You keep that up and we'll be more than okay," Oliver teased as he threaded his fingers through her hair. "We're okay," he confirmed as his other arm tightened around her. He knew the doubts wouldn't just vanish, but he did think things would keep getting better for them.

Chloe grinned, "I'm glad," she said softly as she pressed another kiss to his lips before trailing her mou towards his ear. "How's about you bring me upstairs Hero and maybe I can make us even better," she whispered against his skin before taking his ear lobe into her mouth.

"I like the sound of that," Oliver said. He kissed her again before standing up with Chloe in his arms and moving toward the stairs. The evening was definitely looking up and Oliver was looking forward to spending some quality time with Chloe in Star City.


	12. Chapter 12

Chloe shifted a frown forming on her face as something restricted her movements. A soft sigh left her lips and her hand tightened around a warm palm. Her eyes fluttered open and the first thing she heard was the soft sound of the radio wafting through the car.  
  
She lifted her free hand to her mouth and yawned before sitting up slightly and blinking. Chloe glanced out the windows, the sun and the sun shone brightly around them. She recognized the familiar streets as Star City. She glanced to her side and saw Oliver watching the road. She sent him a sheepish look. "I fell asleep," she stated not that he didn't already know that.  
  
The last thing she remembered was being on the plane. Chloe straightened up in her seat and rubbed her thumb over Oliver's hand. "Why didn't you wake me?" She asked as she yawned again.

"You were tired," Oliver replied. She'd fallen asleep nearly the second they'd gotten on the plane and she hadn't stirred once so he'd figured she'd needed her rest. "Besides, it's not like we haven't been here before," he teased as he slowed the car down to make the turn onto the street that would take them to the penthouse.

Chloe smiled as she leaned into him, "Mmm I was," she commented as she rubbed his arm lightly a hint of excitement filling her, the closer they got to the penthouse. "I missed my bed," she commented before glancing at him.   
  
"Are the guys coming over or are we heading over to Watchtower after we settle in?" She asked curiously. She was excited to be back in Star City. She had missed their home and the guys.

"Should I be offended that you've been in bed with me and missing your own bed?" Oliver deadpanned as he steered the car into the parking garage. "I actually didn't tell anyone we were coming. I thought it might be fun to surprise them," he said.

Chloe bit her lower lip as she realized how that sounded. "I love your bed Hero, but I love your bed here even more." She said as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm just excited for this visit. It's been a while since I've been here you know?" She asked before her face brightened. "Plus all my clothes and shoes are here."  
  
Chloe wasn't one for material things, but Star City felt more like home than Metropolis did and she hadn't realized how much she'd missed it. She shook herself out of her thoughts and grinned. "I'm sure they'll love that surprise," she said amused as he parked the car.

"Nice save," Oliver teased. He brought the car to a stop and pulled the keys from the ignition and got out of the car, waiting for Chloe to join him before they walked to the elevator. "They'll love the surprise unless they've been doing stuff they're not supposed to," he pointed out. The guys had a tendency to get into trouble when he wasn't around.

Chloe let out a light 'pfft' "They will be happy to see me regardless, you on the other hand..." She teased letting her voice trail off as she threaded her fingers through his and gave him a cheeky smile. She pushed the elevator button and bounced slightly next to Oliver.   
  
The doors opened and she tugged him into the elevator. They stood there as it began to move and she brushed her thumb over his hand again. She was quiet a hint of nervousness filling her as a thought crossed her mind. "Hey Ollie," when he glanced at her she tilted her head to the side and spoke. "Are we going to tell the guys about us?" She asked softly.

Oliver arched an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked. "Would you prefer to keep me your dirty little secret like some boy toy?" he teased. Oliver had just assumed they would tell the guys or he'd assumed they would figure out what was going on between them because it wasn't like they were subtle.

Chloe flushed. "Of course not. I just wasn't sure if you were ready to say anything, because it never really came up when we were with Lois and Clark, so I wasn't sure." She said lightly as the elevator chimed.

"I'm pretty sure Lois and Clark just assumed we were together," Oliver pointed out as he motioned for Chloe to step out of the elevator first. "The guys will realize that this is a recent development." He followed Chloe into the apartment and couldn't help thinking that it was good to be home. He thought it was important that they stay in Metropolis because he knew Chloe wanted to make things better with her cousin and Clark, but Oliver really missed California.

“I guess,” she said before grinning. “God I missed it here,” she said her face flush with happiness. She turned so she was facing Oliver a glint of mischief in her eyes. “So Hero, what’s the plan?” She asked as she closed the distance between them and ran her hands down his chest. “You mentioned something about work on the plane right?” She asked not remembering since she had passed out pretty much the second they got in the air.

"I believe I said I was going to work while we were on the plane, which I did because someone passed out on me right away," Oliver joked. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her body against his. "We have that benefit tomorrow night, but until then, my schedule is pretty open. What did you have in mind?" he asked as he let his hand trail over her hip, squeezing her gently.

Chloe tilted her head to the side. “Well I thought maybe you could help me fulfill a few of the fantasy’s I had about you that kept me warm at night while I was gone.” She said softly before pressing her lips to his jaw and nipping lightly at the skin there. “What do you say Hero? You game?” She asked her voice low as she moved her mouth to his neck, enjoying this new carefree, assertive side of herself.

"Fantasies, you say?" Oliver repeated as he tilted his head to the side while her mouth moved along his neck. "I think I'm going to need to hear more about these in great detail so that I may fulfill them for you. I'd hate to get it wrong," Oliver pointed out as he turned his head and covered her mouth with his. 

Chloe grinned against his mouth as she returned the kiss, deepening it as she moved her mouth over his not breaking it until air became an issue. She cupped his cheek and brushed her thumb against it. “You know,” she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, “I’d much rather show you,” her lips trailed to his jaw again, “Than tell you.” She whispered against his skin as her hand trailed down his shirt.

She lifted her head and met his gaze, her heart beating fast against her chest. “What would you say if I said I wanted you, right now?” She asked softly.

"I'd say what are you waiting for?" Oliver replied. He grinned at her before lowering his head and kissing her again as he steered her toward the couch, figuring it was closer than the bedroom and he didn't particularly want to wait. "I want you," he told Chloe when the kiss broke and he trailed his mouth across her neck. "And I'd love for you to show me what's on your mind," he said against her skin. 

Chloe groaned softly enjoying the feel of his lips on her neck. She shifted back after a minute turning him around before giving him a light shove so he was sitting on the couch. She grinned as her hands went to the bottom of her blouse and tugged it up and over her head. Chloe held his gaze and tossed it aside.

She slid her hands down her thighs and when she moved them back up her legs she brought her skirt with them, pulling it up enough so she could straddle his lap. Chloe’s knees dug into the couch on either side of Oliver as she gripped his shoulders. “Have I mentioned it’s good to be home?” She asked as she slowly rocked her hips against his.

Chloe dipped her head forward and kissed Oliver’s jaw lightly. She trailed her lips around to his ear. “Have I mentioned how much I love your mouth?” She asked her voice hushed.

"Really?" Oliver grinned, completely turned on by this sudden dominant side of her. He rocked his hips against hers, wanting her to feel the instant effect that she had on him. "I happen to love your mouth too," he told her as he ran his hand over her back until he reached the clasp of her bra. Oliver toyed with it for a second and then flipped it open.

"But then again, I love everything about you," Oliver said. He pulled her head away from his ear and captured her lips in a deep, desperate kiss. His tongue teased hers as he slid his hand over her thigh until he could brush his fingers across the front of her panties.

Chloe moaned into his mouth and slid her hand over to grip his neck tightly as she continued to move her mouth over his. She broke the kiss a second later when her lungs started to burn. “I love everything about you too,” she said before nipping gently at his jaw and pressing herself more firmly against his fingers. “It’s so nice to be home and with you,” she said as her heartbeat picked up speed.

She shifted against him again trying to create more friction between her thighs as she slid her hands down the front of his chest and started undoing his shirt. When she was done she parted the material and let her eyes drop to the smooth expanse of skin there. Chloe gently ran her fingers over his chest before meeting his gaze. “Do you have any idea how bad I want to feel you inside of me?” She asked her voice soft even as her cheeks tinged red slightly.

The words were forward for her, her actions were too, but she was so happy and she loved Oliver so much. Chloe was comfortable around him in a way she’d never been with anyone else before and she wanted him to know how much she wanted him in every way.

Oliver smiled when he saw the color in her cheeks. He thought it was cute that she still got embarrassed, even as she was straddling him half-naked. "I love being inside of you," he told her as he pushed her bra out of the way and pressed his bare chest against hers, enjoying the feeling of her nipples rubbing against his skin.

"Nothing makes me happier than being with you, Chloe. I want you all the time," he said as he pushed her panties out of the way and slid his fingers inside of her, groaning at the feeling of her wet heat surrounding him.

Chloe gasped at the feeling of his fingers inside of her and then almost immediately moaned as he started to move them. Her body arched in his lap, her hands slipping to his shoulders as she rocked her hips against his hand the movement causing pleasure to dance up her spine. “Oh god Ollie,” she moaned his name as she shifted again moving away from his chest and pressing her hands against it instead as she tilted her head back and bit her lower lip. She absolutely loved when he touched her. “More,” she pleaded as one of her hands slid to the waist band of his pants.

Oliver sped up the movement of his fingers as he lowered his head and swirled his tongue around her nipple. He sucked the hard bud into his mouth as he continued moving inside of her. Her muscles were already starting to clamp down around his fingers and he knew it wouldn't take much. He brushed his thumb over her clit, too caught up in the moment to hear the elevator opening behind them.

Victor shook his head, irritated. "You're totally wrong, Shorty," he told Bart. "That's not how baseball works. If..." He stopped short, his eyes going wide as he spotted Chloe and Oliver on the couch. His mouth dropped open as he felt Bart walk right into him.

Bart grunted, "What the hell?" He asked annoyed as he glanced around Victor, his eyes widening. "Holy crap," he muttered.  
  
Chloe's hands tightened in Oliver's hair, holding him to her breast as his finger moved over her clit again. She couldn’t stop the orgasm that tore through her. Chloe cried out his name, her body jerking in his lap, inner muscles gripping his fingers and pulsating around them as she arched against him coming hard. She gasped, her breathing heavy as she flattered her body against his completely oblivious to the people in the doorway.  
  
Bart blinked, "It's like live porn," he whispered to Victor, "Or a train wreck. I want to look away, but I can't get my eyes to listen to my brain." He said mostly to himself.

Victor was beyond uncomfortable and part of him thought that they should just turn around and walk away and pretend they never saw anything. But there was a good chance they would hear them so he reluctantly cleared his throat, even as he kept his gaze on the floor.

Oliver jumped, his head practically spinning as he turned and saw Victor and Bart standing in the doorway. Victor was looking down, but Bart was blatantly staring. "What the hell are you guys doing?" he demanded as he pulled Chloe tighter against him. "Turn around!" he ordered sharply.

Oliver’s angry voice snapped Bart out of his stupor and he immediately turned around having the decency to flush, "I'm sorry, we were just...there's something, and the papers," he babbled before slapping his hand over his face and shaking his head.  
  
Chloe's eyes widened and she turned bright red before pulling Oliver's shirt from the couch beside them and slipping it on her body. "Oh my god," she said mortified. She was never going to be able to look at them again.

Oliver rubbed his hand over her back, even as he continued to glare at Bart and Victor. He could see how embarrassed Chloe was and he wasn't exactly thrilled with the situation either. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked.

Victor's eyes were still on the floor, but he glanced up, noting that Chloe had covered up. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared right back at Oliver. "What are we doing?" he repeated. "What the hell are you doing? Since when are you guys having sex?" he demanded.

Oliver was too taken aback by the question to immediately respond. "We..." He paused, confused as to why Victor was glaring at them. "Why are you angry?" he asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Victor replied. "Do you really not see the problem here?" He gestured to them and then glanced at Bart, waiting for him to chime in.

Bart hesitated before turning around. He glanced between them and frowned. "I'm sorry, but I've gotta agree with Vic...this isn't a good thing." he said as he scratched the back of his neck. "Why didn't you guys say anything? You should have told us." he said as he shifted on his feet.  
  
Chloe's chest tightened at their words as she quickly buttoned up the shirt and moved off of Oliver's lap standing on shaky legs. It hurt to hear their friends say them being together isn't a good thing. She wrapped an arm around her midsection and sat beside Oliver, leaving some distance between them. "We were planning on telling you," she said quietly not sure else to say.

Oliver adjusted his pants, frowning, as he tried to figure out why their friends were reacting the way they were. "Are you guys just upset we didn't tell you or...?" His voice trailed off. Oliver wasn't sure why they thought him and Chloe being together was a bad thing, aside from the embarrassment they were all feeling at the moment.

Victor shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Bart again. "Look, you guys know we think the world of both of you, but this complicates everything." When Bart didn't speak up right away, Victor sighed and continued.

"When we thought Chloe was dead, you checked out, Ollie," he said quietly. "You were here, but you weren't. If things don't work out..." He let his voice trail off, not wanting to finish the sentence, even though the implication was clear.

"Then what's going to happen to the team?" Bart finished as he glanced at Oliver. "We used to think this would happen," he said as he shoved his hands into his pockets, "But when it didn't we all just assumed you guys sort of understood the risks and that's why you never went there."  
  
Chloe frowned. "I really think you're making a bigger deal out of this than you need to be." She said even as her chest tightened.  
  
Bart sent Chloe a sympathetic look. "You know I adore you 'licious, but you didn't see Oliver when you ran off and faked your own death. With the two of you together what's gonna happen if something like that happens again?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Bart's right," Victor agreed before Oliver or Chloe could respond. "We get that you two have feelings for each other and always have, but sometimes we don't get what we want," he said matter-of-factly.

"Wow," Oliver muttered, completely at a loss for words. He'd had no idea the guys felt that way and he couldn't help the guilt that tightened in his chest. He had been a mess while Chloe was gone and he couldn't really blame them for assuming the worst about their relationship. "Look, we appreciate your concern, but Chloe isn't going anywhere and really, this is none of your business," he added, unable to keep the hint of defensiveness from his tone.

Chloe swallowed hard. "I'm not going to leave again," she said softly as guilt built in her chest.  
  
Bart's gaze shifted to Chloe and the look on her face made him genuinely feel bad. "Until the next dangerous guy threatens you?" he asked in a calm voice. He saw her wince. "No one was more understanding when you came back than me. We all get why you did what you did and we respect it. But what happens if this ever happens again?" he asked.  
  
Chloe's chest tightened as anxiety filled her stomach. "You don't trust me." She said as she glanced between them.  
  
Bart glanced at Victor before looking back at Chloe. "We're just being realistic." He said quietly feeling bad as he glanced at Victor for some back up.

Victor nodded. "We love you, Chloe, but we know you. You always put everyone else first, especially Ollie," he added. "It's not out of the realm of possibility that he'll end up in danger again or vice versa," he added pointedly as his gaze shifted to Oliver. "What if something happens to you?" he asked.

"I'm not sure why you guys are so anxious to bump me off, but Chloe and I know what we're doing," Oliver told them, even as the familiar doubt crept into his mind. Hadn't he had all these same thoughts? Wasn't that why he'd kept Chloe at arms' length when she'd come back?

"I love Oliver," she said doing her best to keep her voice steady. "I'm not going to leave him again if I can help it." She said.  
  
Bart scratched the back of his head again feeling uncomfortable. "That's a big thing...we just don't think it’s the best idea and you've been gone for so long that maybe you guys are just really glad to be back together which is why you think it’s a good idea." He suggested hating that he had put that kicked puppy look on Chloe's face.

"Seriously?" Oliver asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what you think of us? That we just randomly decided we missed each other so much we might as well have sex?" He shook his head, annoyed. "Did you need something? Why are you here?" he asked.

"We heard you were back so we wanted to go over a few things, but nothing urgent," Victor said. He didn't particularly want to stay any longer. "We can do it another time," he suggested.

"Good idea," Oliver agreed. He didn't really want to talk to either of them at the moment.

Chloe watched them go as they disappeared into the elevator and refused to let herself get emotional about this. Pain radiated in her chest as she sat silently beside Oliver not really sure what to say. She couldn’t read the expression on his face outside of Anger and that made anxiety curl in her stomach. She fiddled with the buttons on his shirt that she was wearing as she glanced over at him.

Oliver forced himself to relax, trying to let some of the tension go in his body. He could see that Chloe was upset and he didn't want to make things harder for her. "Well that wasn't the afternoon I was imagining," he quipped as he sent her a small smile. "I'm sorry. I know that was awkward."

Chloe nodded, “You don’t need to apologize, it’s not your fault.” She said quietly. “So I guess we can skip the whole meeting up at Watchtower so we can tell the team thing,” She shifted and crossed her legs. “I thought they were going to be happy for us.” She told him softly. “What’s going on in there?” She asked as she reached up and brushed a thumb against his head before slowly pulling her hand back.

Oliver caught her hand and held it in his. "I never expected this reaction from the guys. I figured they'd be on our side and for them to be this adamantly against it..." His voice trailed off. Aside from Chloe, Vic was the person Oliver was closest to and he knew his friend had suspected he had feelings for Chloe, but he'd had no idea he would be so against the two of them being together.

“Me either,” she said softly. “They’re wrong, we love each other and everything is going to be fine,” she told him as she met his gaze. Chloe hesitated at the look she saw there, “Right?” She asked as her stomach suddenly filled with anxiety. 

"Right," Oliver replied without hesitating. He tugged on her hand, pulling her closer so he could wrap his arms around her. "I love you, Chloe, and that's not going to change," he promised.

Chloe leaned into him and sent him half a smile. She knew Oliver would never lie to her, but she couldn’t seem to stop the doubt the crept inside of her. She rubbed her hand over his leg. “I’m going to go change really quick; I’ll be right back, okay?”

Oliver nodded. "We can order dinner in, if you want," he suggested. He wasn't really in the mood to go out and it wasn't like they were going to be spending time with the team after what happened. "I'll be here when you get back," he promised. 

Chloe gave him a tight smile, “That sounds like a good idea,” she said softly before leaning in and pressing a light kiss to his lips. “I love you,” she said again before standing, heading out of the living room and down the hall towards her bedroom.

______

 

Oliver was having a moment of deja vu as he stood beside Chloe in the Watchtower elevator, waiting for it to reach the top floor. Things had been a little strained the night before after what had happened with Victor and Bart. Oliver felt like he and Chloe had both been lost in their own heads and he wasn't sure how to fix it. But he knew they were going to have to face the team again so he'd suggested everyone meet at Watchtower since he didn't particularly want anyone in their apartment after what had happened.

He squeezed Chloe's hand, brushing his thumb over hers to get her attention. When she glanced up at him, he sent her a reassuring smile. "Are you okay?" he asked wishing he knew what was going through her head.

"No," she said surprise crossing her face at her owns words, "I mean its fine, I'm fine." she said flustered not sure why she'd said that. The last thing she wanted to do was worry Oliver. She knew he wasn't exactly thrilled about the reaction from the guys either.   
  
"I'm sorry...I'm just not looking forward to this," she admitted honestly as the elevator chimed and the doors slid open.

"I'm not either," Oliver admitted. "But things aren't going to get better unless we talk things out with the guys. I get why they're concerned, but they're overreacting." He couldn't help feeling guilty since they'd admitted that part of their resentment was due to the way he'd acted while he'd thought Chloe was dead. The last thing he wanted was to make things harder on her.

Chloe paused as they walked towards the double doors. "What do you mean you get why they're concerned?" She asked as her chest tightened. "I love you Oliver, there isn't any need for concern." she said quietly.

"I know that and that's not what I meant," Oliver replied, regretting his word choice. He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand, brushing his thumb over her chin to try and soothe the hurt look away from her face. "It's my fault that they're acting this way because I didn't do a good job holding myself together. That's what they're basing their feelings on," he said.

Uncertainty filled her and she swallowed hard as she leaned into his touch. "You were hurting, that's natural and they have no right to hold that against you Oliver." She squeezed his hand lightly. "We should go inside." She said quietly.

He knew her well enough to see the doubts that she was trying her best to hide. Oliver leaned down and covered her mouth with his. "I love you, Chloe. That's never going to change," he told her when the kiss broke. "We're going to get through this together like we do everything else." Oliver smiled at her and gently tugged on her hand as he turned to walk through the double doors.

All the guys were already inside and Oliver tried to ignore the tension that he could already feel creeping back into him. "Hey guys," he said.

Victor glanced up from the computer. He still felt guilty about everything that had happened the day before. "Hey Ollie, Chloe," he said, offering them a tense smile.

AC glanced up his eyes dropping to Chloe and Oliver's entwined hands. He hesitated and looked up. "Hey guys, good to see you're back in town.  
  
Chloe sent him half a smile, but it was tense. "Hi AC," she paused before glancing at the other two members of the team. "Victor, Bart." She said stiffly.   
  
Bart ducked his head, "Hey Bossmas...Chloe," he said letting his voice trail off not sure what else to say.  
  
AC cleared his throat, "Thanks for coming."  
  
Chloe stayed at Oliver's side. "We always planned to come by." She said with a shrug.

Oliver tightened his grip on Chloe as he did his best not to dwell on the tension in the room. They had expected this. "Guys, we have too many important things to do to waste time being uncomfortable around each other. Let's just talk about this," he said.

Victor nodded as he moved away from the computer and leaned against the terminal. "We're sorry about the way things went down yesterday. It took us by surprise and we probably should have used a little more tact," he said.

"Probably," Oliver agreed. "But at the same time, it's better that we know how you feel than to be keeping secrets from each other. Look, I get that things were bad when Chloe was gone, but they're different now. Nothing has to change," he stressed.

AC glanced between Victor and Bart. They had told him what happened yesterday and he was thankful he hadn't been with them. He took a step forward and hesitated before speaking. "You guys know we love both of you," he said carefully as he glanced from Chloe to Oliver figuring he might be the more rational of the two at the moment.  
  
"And we get why you care about her. Chloe's amazing," he said sending a friendly smile her way before his eyes drifted back to Oliver. "But our lives are already so complicated. We're like this...family," he said catching Bart nodding out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"And I know the guys mentioned what if one of you leaves or dies, but honestly that's a risk either way." He told them, "But on top of all that other stuff what happens if things just don't work out?" He asked. "I know it’s gotta suck thinking about that and about us weighing in our your relationship, but we've put just as much work into this team as you Oliver...what we do it's bigger than two people." He told them sympathetically.

"Chloe and I both know how important the team and the mission is. That's never changed for either of us and it never will," Oliver said. "But I don't think you guys would be reacting this strongly if it wasn't for Chloe leaving and me falling apart," he said matter-of-factly.

"That's a part of it," Victor agreed. "We were all devastated by what happened, but Ollie, we all know the only reason you kept going was because you wanted to find the people that had hurt Chloe," he pointed out.

"That's true," Oliver agreed. "But we all wanted that and we'd all want the same thing if it had been any of us who had been hurt or worse," he countered. "I'm sorry you guys are upset about this, but you're going to have to get over it. I love Chloe. I'm not going to stop just because it makes you nervous," he said.

Chloe pursed her lips as she listened to them talking about things like she wasn't even there. Her chest was tight and she felt almost sick. She had expected their friends to be happy for them, but now every time she saw them, Chloe was going to know what they were thinking. She had been so excited to come home and she was starting to realize that maybe she no longer had one outside of Oliver.  
  
Bart's words pulled her from her thoughts and she frowned slightly.  
  
"All we're saying is we care about you guys and we get it, but we aren't nervous, we're worried. We just don't want to see anyone get hurt or the team to suffer. Anything can happen; you know we're right Oliver. If she leaves again--"  
  
"I'm not going to leave again," Chloe snapped, cutting him off. "I love Oliver and I'm not going to disappear again. I didn't know how hard it would be and I don't want to put Ollie or myself through that again." She said.

Oliver sighed, letting go of Chloe's hand to wrap his arm around her. "Calm down, Sidekick," he said quietly as he squeezed her shoulder. "I believe Chloe when she says that she's not going to leave and if I can believe her, the rest of you should too," he told them as he glanced around at their friends. "We were all hurt, but so was Chloe. We need to move forward," he told them.

AC pursed his lips and glanced at Bart who looked at Victor and arched an eyebrow. Their plan to try and make them see reason was obviously failing miserably and Bart didn't know what else to say to make them understand how they felt.  
  
Chloe saw the exchange and she leaned into Oliver pressing a hand against his stomach. She hated that everyone was so tense and that it was apparently their fault. "I hate this," she whispered.

"I hate it too," Oliver said. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and tightened his grip around her. The guys were their closest friends; their family and he hated that they weren't happy about their relationship. "Maybe it will just take time for you guys to adjust," he suggested.

Victor nodded. "It's not like we don't want you guys to be happy. We do," he insisted as he shrugged, not sure what else to say.

Chloe cleared her throat, "Maybe we should go...We've got that fundraiser thing tonight," she said letting her voice trail off.  
  
AC sighed, "You guys don't have to go. We just wanted you to know how we felt, but we are glad you're in town...honest." He said while sending them a small smile.

"Chloe's right," Oliver said. "We've got to get ready for the event, but we were planning on sticking around for a few days. Maybe we can hang out tomorrow or Sunday," he suggested.

"Sounds good," Victor agreed. He felt bad that there was so much tension between them, but he didn't really know what to do about it.

"All right," Oliver said as he took Chloe's hand again. "We'll talk to you guys later." Everyone said their goodbyes, and he led Chloe out of the room, neither of them saying anything as they walked to the elevator and Oliver pressed the button for the main floor. "So that was awkward," he said once the doors closed.

Chloe nodded. "It was," she said her brows burrowing as she threaded their fingers together. She was quiet for a minute before turning to face him. "You don't think they're right, do you?" She asked softly, "You don't think I'm going to leave you again right?" Chloe knew he had already said he loved her and that everything was fine, but she needed to make sure.

"No, I don't think they're right," Oliver replied. He shifted so he was facing her, reaching out with his free hand to cup her cheek. "I don't believe for one second that you would make a choice to leave me anymore than I would make one to leave you." They both knew the work they did might take the choice away from them, but he didn't see any reason to point that out. Neither of them was going anywhere if they had anything to say about it.

The tension in Chloe’s body lessened and she leaned into him as she turned her head and pressed a kiss to his palm. She reached out and gripped his waist tightly as she glanced up at him again.

“I don’t either,” she whispered, “I love you so much Oliver, all those night without you…I’ll never put either of us through that again. You’re my entire world, I’m so sorry it took what I put you through for me to realize that. But I’m not letting you go, ever.” She said as she pressed herself flush against his body and brushed her lips against his slowly, but moving them more firmly against his and deepening the kiss.

Oliver returned the kiss, wrapping his arms tightly around her and holding her close. He let everything else fade away and just focused on how good it felt to have Chloe in his arms. When the kiss broke, he rested his forehead against hers and met her gaze. "I love you too, Chloe. I hate that you were gone, but all that matters is that you came back and we're together now. Eventually, the guys will see that this is how things are supposed to be," he said confidently.

Chloe smiled as the last of the tension left her body. “I love that you are so sure about us,” she said softly, “Because I feel the same way. This is exactly where I’m supposed to be.” She said as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his jaw. It still hurt that their friends weren’t happy for them, but Oliver loved her and honestly that was all that mattered.


	13. Chapter 13

Oliver woke up early on Sunday morning and left Chloe sleeping in bed before he headed down the hall to his workout room. They'd had dinner with the guys the night before and things had still been fairly strained, but they'd managed to make conversation. He wasn't sure how they were going to fix things, but he hoped they'd find a way. They'd been through too much together to let something come between them, especially something that wasn't going anywhere. Oliver knew that he and Chloe were going to be fine and sooner or later, the guys would see that.

He lowered himself to the floor, straightened his back and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath to clear his mind. It had been awhile since he'd done yoga and he figured he could use a good meditation session. Oliver let his shoulders relax and within a few minutes, his body was settled and he was in the zone. He quietly shifted positions, pushing himself into a handstand and held it as he relaxed his body.

Chloe finished tugging on her tank top before glancing towards the bedroom door. She had woken up alone about ten minutes ago and decided to throw on some clothes and go see where in the world her boyfriend had run off to so early on a Sunday. She moved out of the bedroom and down the hallway, passing his office and pausing on the way.

The room was empty so she kept walking passed the guest rooms until she reached Oliver’s workout room. Chloe paused in the doorway when she finally caught sight of him and took a moment to appreciate the view. His skin had a very slight sheen of sweat over it, his eyes were closed and his body was in some kind of weird position Chloe couldn’t even name.

She opened her mouth, but decided not to interrupt him. Instead she moved quietly into the room and sat down on the mat a few feet in front of him and just watched.

"Hey Sidekick," Oliver said without opening his eyes. He'd heard her come in and he couldn't help being amused that she'd decided to just have a seat. "Would you like to join me?" he asked, finally opening his eyes and grinning at her from his upside down position.

Chloe grinned. “Morning, Hero.” She should have known that he’d hear her coming in. She opened her mouth to day ‘no chance in hell’ when she stopped herself and tilted her head. “Okay,” her voice was soft as she spoke. She pointed at him, “But not the whole upside down thing.” She added quickly.

Oliver flipped himself over until he was sitting on his knees and motioned for Chloe to come closer to him. "Someone's feeling adventurous this morning," he teased as he reached for her. He instructed her to sit with her legs stretched out in front of her and then took her hands, stretching them over her head.

"Take a deep breath and now another one," Oliver said as he placed his hand over her stomach and put his other hand on the small of her back. "Relax and let go of some of the tension," he said.

Chloe bit her lower, her stomach muscles reflexively clenching beneath his palm as she followed his instructions and took another deep breath letting the air fill her lungs as she relaxed into the feel of his palm against her lower back while letting the breath out slowly. She let one of her hands shift until her palm was covering the one on her stomach as she took another deep breath and released it slowly. “Like this?” She whispered.

"Just like that," Oliver replied, even as he felt himself getting distracted. Maybe it was a good thing Chloe had always refused to do yoga with him before. "Okay, now I want you to lean back and put your hands behind you, flat on the mat," he said as he helped her get into that position. "Now keep your feet firmly planted and raise this part of your body up." Oliver put his hand on her lower back again and gently pushed until she was arched back. "How does that feel?" he asked, keeping his hand on her back to help support her.

Chloe could feel her muscles stretching, but her focus was on the heat from Oliver’s palm as she stared up at the ceiling. “It feels like there should be something prettier to look at while I do this.” She said as she angled her head slightly and caught his gaze, her voice just a little breathy from the strain of holding the pose. Oliver made everything look so easy most likely because he did it all the time, but it was actually difficult holding your body in a position it wasn’t used to.

Oliver laughed. "I'm sorry the view isn't better, although I'm not complaining about mine," he commented as he let his eyes trail over her. "Okay Sidekick, sit up slowly," he instructed. "Then I want you to put your arms over your head and stretch forward as far as you can while bringing yourself up on your knees," he said.

Chloe rolled her eyes at his words, but there was a grin on her face. “That sounds complicated,” she commented, but she did as he said. She shifted her body so she was leaning forward as she got onto her knees. She reached out and bent forward so her hands were stretched out in front of her, her stomach practically touching her knees as her chest came dangerously close the ground. “Well this is unpleasant.” She mumbled as she took a deep breath and slowly let it out while trying to relax her body.

"It's only unpleasant if you're making it that way," Oliver countered. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her back a little to stretch her muslces. "Keep your arms steady, but let go of some of the tension," he said. When she shifted a little more, the hem of her tank top rose up and Oliver smirked to himself before leaning over and pressing his lips against the small of her back.

Chloe’s eyes popped open and she sucked in a sharp breath at the feel of his lips against her skin. “I didn’t realize yoga involved lips,” She said holding the pose as warmth stirred inside of her. “I might just like it after all,” she teased as a shiver went up her spine.

Oliver smiled against her skin before pressing another kiss there. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself," he said as he helped her ease out of the stretch and then pulled her toward him so her back was press against his chest. Oliver brushed her hair aside and trailed his lips lazily over her neck.

Chloe relaxed into him, her head automatically tilting to the side giving him better access to her neck as a soft moan left her throat. She lifted her arm and reached back letting her fingers trail through his hair, scraping lightly against his scalp as her heartbeat picked up speed. “Is this also part of the yoga lesson?” She asked a slight hitch in her voice, “Because if so I’m thinking you should sign me up.” She whispered as she pressed herself further back against him.

"I do enjoy getting up close and personal with you," Oliver replied. He leaned forward as she tilted her head back and pressed his lips against hers. He kissed her slowly, drawing the kiss out as he rested his hand on her stomach again. "I love you," he whispered against her lips.

Chloe’s expression softened. “I love you too, Hero.” She watched him for a minute before shifting and turning around so she was resting on her knees between his legs facing him. Chloe cupped his cheeks and leaned in capturing his lips in a soft kiss. It didn’t take her long to deepen it as she pressed her chest against his. She broke the kiss a few seconds later letting her arms fall so they rested lightly around his neck. “You know, I very much enjoy being up close and personal with you too,” she said softly against his skin before trailing her lips along his jaw.

Oliver smiled, his hands falling to her hips as he pulled her as close to him as he could. "I know things have been rough lately, but inspite of all that, I've never been happier, Chloe. You mean everything to me," he told her, his voice becoming serious as he held her gaze.

Chloe’s brows drew together and she cupped his cheek as she held his gaze. “You mean everything to me too Ollie, you know that.” She said softly as she caressed his cheek unsure what had brought on the serious look in his eyes. “Is everything okay?” She asked softly as she rested her other hand on his thigh, brushing her thumb against it.

"Yeah," Oliver replied as he turned his head and pressed a kiss against her palm. He knew he was probably worrying her with his sudden seriousness. "I was just thinking about how nice this is. Us, here," he said. Oliver shook his head. "I'm not making a lot of sense, am I?" He gave her a sheepish smile and tried to find the right words. "It's just that after everything we've been through and everything we're still dealing with, it's nice knowing that we can have a moment like this. I love you so much," he told her again.

Chloe smiled warmly. "Actually, I know exactly what you mean." She said softly as she slid her hand down to rest on his shoulder. "I feel like everything that's happened, even the parts where we weren't together got us to this moment," she cupped his cheek again, "And if I woke up every morning and we did this, had this time together for just us, I think I'd be the happiest girl in the world." She told him honestly.  
  
"You have no idea how happy you make me, how happy being in our home together makes me. It was all worth it because I've got you and I'm never letting you go." She said matter-of-factly as she leaned forward and captured his lips.

Oliver returned the kiss, deepening it slowly as he slid one hand into her hair. He teased the strands around his fingers as his mouth moved over hers. When air started to become an issue, he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. Oliver didn't say anything for a moment as he watched her, thinking about what she'd just said. Chloe was right. Even after all the bad things that they'd been through, he felt so lucky to have her back and for the two of them to be together. He never wanted to let her go either. "I think I'm going to hold you to that never letting go thing, Sidekick," Oliver said. He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose and met her gaze once more. "Marry me," he said quietly. 

Chloe blinked, her eyes widening at his words. She stared at him for a full minute without saying anything. Her heartbeat picked up speed as he watched her and she swallowed hard. "You're serious," she whispered and when Oliver nodded, moisture tickled the corner of her eyes.   
  
She threw her arms around him, catapulting her body against his. "Yes," she said shifting back enough to capture his lips. She didn't break the kiss until air became an issue. Chloe met his gaze, "I love you so much," She said before grinning, her face flush with happiness.

He returned her smile, tightening his arms around her as warmth spread through his chest. "I'm really glad you said yes, Sidekick, or I would have had to result to begging. I love you," Oliver told her before kissing her again. He hadn't exactly planned to propose, but there was just something about that moment that he knew he wanted to.

Being with Chloe was so important to him and he wanted to make it as official as possible. The kiss broke and he was still grinning as he met her gaze. "I'm sorry I don't have a ring for you, but we will remedy that later as soon as we feel like getting dressed and leaving the apartment. Much later," he clarified. 

Chloe rolled her eyes. "I don't need a ring, I just need you," she said softly as she pressed another kiss to his lips. When she pulled back she arched an eyebrow. "Wait, did you say when we get dressed?" She asked amused. "I'm not sure what you're looking at Hero, but I'm fully dressed." She told him, a hint of mischief in her eyes.   
  
She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed him back before standing quickly. "You're going to have to catch me if you plan on taking things off," she said letting her voice trail off as he started to back away from him, warmth filling her chest at the thought of Oliver becoming her husband.

Oliver simply raised an eyebrow at her from his spot on the floor. "First, you're getting a ring," he told her. That was nonnegotiable. He knew Chloe wasn't big on material things, but it wasn't about that; it was what it stood for. "And second, we've been engaged for like a minute and you're already trying to get away from me? What does that say about this relationship, Sidekick?" he asked, pouting. 

Chloe rolled her eyes. "It says your fiancé," she pointed to herself, "That's me," she said brightly, "Is feeling playful." She told him as she reached down to the hem of her tank top and pulled it over her head before tossing it at him. "Come on Hero it's no fun if my soon to be husband doesn't chase me." She said turning the pout he gave her back on him.

He had to grin at that, dropping her shirt as he got to his feet. "All right, Sidekick," he said, his eyes darkening as they trailed over her. "I will give you a twenty second head start because I'm feeling generous," Oliver teased. He tapped his finger against his wrist, even though he wasn't wearing a watch. "Clock is ticking."

"Twenty seconds isn't a lot of time. You would think you'd be able to spare some extra time for your fiancé," she said as she backed away, "Ollie," when the look in his eyes didn't change she let out a small noise and took off out of the room, laughter bubbling in her throat as she ran down the hallway.

Oliver laughed to himself as he watched her go. He counted to twenty in his head and then gave her another ten seconds on top of that before he started after her. He couldn't seem to keep the grin off his face. There was a part of him that couldn't believe Chloe had just agreed to marry him. He had no idea how he'd gotten so lucky. 

 

______

 

Chloe glanced down at her left hand and wiggled her fingers lightly not able to help the bright grin that pulled at her lips. It had been two days since Oliver proposed and true to his word he had gotten her a ring yesterday, an incredibly gorgeous ring that she couldn’t seem to stop staring at. She let out a content sigh as the light caught the diamond making it shine and Chloe’s smile widened.

The sound of the elevator buzzing knocked her from her thoughts and she pushed herself off the couch. “Ollie the food is here,” she called out as she made her way to his desk so she could type in the code. They had invited the guys over for dinner so they could share their news and while Chloe was nervous she was also incredibly happy.

"I'm here," Oliver said as he made his way down the hall, reaching for his wallet so he could tip the delivery guy. He'd been finishing up some work calls so he could schedule a few meetings before they headed back to Metropolis at the end of the week. It had been nice being back in Star City and he was really hoping this dinner with the guys would go well. He knew Chloe was nervous about telling them their news and he couldn't really blame her for that after the way they had reacted to the two of them dating.

Oliver paid the delivery man and carried the food into the dining room where Chloe already had the place settings out. He placed the bag in the middle, turning to grin at his fiancée as she made her way into the room. "Hey there," he said as he reached out, tugging her toward him. "Did you miss me?" he teased as he dipped his head and pressed a kiss against her neck. 

Chloe grinned as she slid her hand into his hair while the other moved down his chest and gripped his side. “I did miss you,” she said softly while tilting her head to the side. “Tell me Hero, what was in that office that needed your attention more than me?” She asked as a soft moan fell from her lips.

Oliver smirked against her skin. "I was working so that I could free up the rest of my time and focus all my attention on you," he replied before tracing her pulse point with his tongue. "I'd always rather be focused on you," he assured her as he let his hand slide over the curve of her ass as he pulled her more firmly against him. 

Chloe grinned as she slid a hand beneath his shirt, “Mm, that’s exactly what I like to hear,” she said softly as she scraped her nails lightly against his scalp and let her fingers tease the belt of his pants. “Exactly how much time to we have before the guys get here?” She asked as she lightly tugged his head away from her neck and captured his lips in an enthusiastic kiss not giving him a chance to answer.

Oliver didn't hesitate to return the kiss, his muscles tensing under her light touch. He could already feel the familiar need building inside of him, but the last thing he wanted was to have a repeat of what had happened the last time the guys had stopped by. He broke the kiss, sucking in air as he rested his forehead against Chloe's. "We don't have that kind of time, Sidekick," he said. "But I promise to make this up to you later."

Chloe pouted, “We could always uninvite them,” she teased lightly as she pulled her hand out from under his shirt and rested it on his arm. She held his gaze as her chest warmed. “I’m going to hold you to that fiancé,” She said with a spark of mischief in her eyes as she cupped his cheeks and pressed a light kiss to his lips.

Oliver smiled and kissed her again. "We could, but that might be counterproductive to our plans, plus a waste of food," he added, motioning to the table behind them. "But once they leave, I'm yours to do whatever you wish to me," he teased. Oliver kissed her again and then pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against him. "In case I haven't mentioned it in the last hour, I love you," he said.

Chloe wrapped her arms around him and hugged his body to hers. “You have, but I enjoy hearing it, so feel free to tell me as often as you’d like and for the record, I love you too.” She said as she turned her head and nipped lightly at his neck right as the buzzer for the elevator sounded again. Chloe sighed. “They’re here,” she whispered a fluttered of nervousness filling her.

"At least they figured out how to use the buzzer," Oliver commented. He took Chloe's hand in his, squeezing it gently, before he led her down the hall. He knew she was nervous, but he also had faith the guys would come around eventually. He just hoped it was sooner, rather than later. 

Oliver hit the button to open the elevator and raised an eyebrow when all three guys practically tumbled into the room. "What the hell were you guys doing in there?" he asked.

Victor scowled. "Bart was trying to run laps, but there was no room because it's an elevator." He glared at the younger man.

Bart frowned. “It’s not my fault we were in there for so long. I need to move my legs. They get stiff if they don’t move. We can’t all be tin cans and squirt some oil on us to get going.” He countered.

AC snorted as he moved into the room. “They’ve been fighting for hours," he said as he glanced between Chloe and Oliver before smiling. “Hey guy’s thanks for the dinner invite any chance I can get some water?” He asked as Bart zipped passed him.

Chloe arched and eyebrow, but nodded, “Of course, you know where it is,” she said as he already started moving down the hallway.

Victor rolled his eyes again. "Those two are like children," he grumbled as he glanced between Oliver and Chloe. "If it's not one thing, it's another. So what's with the sudden urge to have dinner with us?" he asked. Victor knew they were trying to smooth things out, but he also knew Oliver probably had a reason for wanting them to come over.

"Come with us," Oliver replied as he tugged on Chloe's hand and headed down the hall. He wasn't surprised to find AC and Bart already checking out the food, even as they continued arguing. "Chloe and I wanted you guys to come over for a reason." He glanced at Chloe and he could still see the hint of nerves on her face. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "We're getting married," he told them. 

Bart froze, releasing the food container he’d been holding as his mouth dropped open while AC’s eyes widened almost comically. The two men stared at their friends before Bart finally turned fully around and cocked his head to the side. “You’re doing what?” He asked.

“Married? For real?” AC chimed in as he glanced at Bart and Victor not sure what to say. Marriage was a lifelong commitment, something that definitely said they’d be together forever.

Chloe rested a hand against Oliver’s chest. “We love each other and we don’t see any reason not to spend the rest of our lives together.” She said softly as she glanced between the three men in front of her. She wasn’t sure what they were thinking, but the team was like family to her. After they saved her from Lex, Oliver and the guys were all she had and Chloe hated to think there was tension between everyone because of her. She really wanted them to be okay with this.

"Wow," Victor said as he caught sight of the engagement ring on Chloe's finger. He glanced up at Oliver and saw that his friend was watching Chloe with a smile on his face. Victor hadn't been expecting an engagement, but he realized maybe he should have. Oliver never did anything halfway and he would never commit to Chloe in any way if he didn't mean it. Guilt tightened in his chest as Victor realized how hard he'd been on his friends.

"This is really great," he told them sincerely as he moved closer and gave Chloe a hug. "I'm happy for you guys and I'm sorry about the way I reacted to you two being together. It was wrong. You guys have been through a lot and you deserve to be happy," he said.

Oliver was momentarily stunned by Victor's complete change of heart. He held his hand out to his friend and then changed his mind and hugged him. "Thanks, Vic, that means a lot," he said. 

Bart was by their side in seconds followed closely by AC. “Same here, we’re glad you guys are happy.” He said as he patted Oliver on the back before reappearing at Chloe’s side and hugging her tightly.

The tension that had built inside of her fell away and she chuckled lightly. “Thanks  guys, it means a lot that you’re on board.” She said lightly before hugging AC and then shifting back to Oliver’s side.

Bart nodded, “So when’s the wedding?” He asked as he started moving around the table and getting a plate together for himself.

AC grinned and rested a hand on one of the chairs. “How do you guys feel about Koalas?” He asked already trying to figure out what animal he could donate to in their name for a wedding gift.

"Koalas are cute," Oliver said, sending Chloe a look, as Victor rolled his eyes. "We haven't worked out any of those little details yet, but I promise we'll let you know. Thanks for the congrats. Believe me, I know how lucky I am," he said as he tightened his grip on Chloe. Oliver knew things could have gone very differently and he would be forever grateful to have her in his life.

Chloe’s heart warmed and she pressed a kiss to his cheek. Bart let out an obnoxious ‘Awwww’ before plopping down in one of the seats with his plate of food. Chloe rolled her eyes before glancing at the younger man. “Do not mock.” She said as she pointed at him.

AC chuckled, “The soon to be Mrs. Queen sure told you,” he said with a smirk as he sat in one of the seats.

Chloe bit her lower lip. Mrs. Queen, her face flushed with happiness at their friends words. Just the sound of AC calling her that made her happy. She tightened her grip on Oliver’s hand and squeezed it lightly as she smiled at their friends.

Oliver couldn't help smiling as well. He could see that she was pleased by AC calling her, ‘Mrs. Queen' and Oliver had to admit that he like the sound of that too. He hugged Chloe against him, pressing another kiss to the top of her head before he let go of her so they could both sit down. "All right, guys. Let's eat before the food gets cold," he suggested. Things were going even better than he'd hoped. They really were lucky people to have such good friends. 

 

______

 

Chloe flipped the page in her magazine and pursed her lips as she read some article about dieting. She rolled her eyes and glanced over her magazine at Oliver. He was sitting up leaning towards the coffee table as he went over some contracts for work. She bit her lower lip and watched him for a minute. It had been two days since they’d been back in Metropolis and Chloe was already missing the warmth of California.

She shifted slightly stretching out her leg and brushing her foot over Oliver’s thigh as she waited for him to look over at her. She sent him a small smile. “You almost done with those Hero?” She asked softly. He was working from the penthouse because when he went to leave for work that morning she’d asked him to stay with her instead.

Chloe tended to get bored during the day and though she knew Oliver’s job was important he had assured her he could get what needed to get done from home for the day.

"I'm just finishing up some email proposals to get ready for meetings over the next few days," Oliver replied. He added a few things to his email and hit send before he shifted so he was facing her. "I'm sorry if I wasn't paying you enough attention. I'd be happy to remedy that if you'd like," he said. Oliver knew Chloe was feeling a little apprehensive just being in Metropolis. He wanted to do what he could to make things easier for her. 

Chloe gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry,” she said softly as she sat up slightly rubbed his arm. “I don’t mean to be so needy; I know you need to get stuff done.” She knew Oliver had agreed to stay at home with her because she’d been anxious about coming back to Metropolis. “You know I should probably find something to do with all my spare time or I’m going to making you play hooky a lot to keep me company,” she teased lightly as she tugged him lightly towards her.

Oliver went willingly, wrapping his arms around her and shifting on the couch to cuddle with her. "I don't mind being home with you when I can," he told her. He'd always rather spend his time with Chloe than anywhere else. "But we also don't have to stay here. Things have evened out at Queen Industries again so if you want to go back to Star City, we can." He didn't want her to always be uncomfortable and he had a feeling that she was never going to full shaky the bad memories Metropolis had for her. 

Chloe hesitated as she shifted her head so she could catch his gaze. "Do you want to go back to California? Or would you just be going for me?" She asked softly. She did not want him to uproot his life again for her, plus there was still the issue of Lois and Clark.

Oliver considered that for a moment. "You know I would go to the moon if that's what you wanted," he told her as he reached out and brushed a piece of hair back from her face. "But I feel like this is a decision we might need to make. I came here because I couldn't  be in Star City without you. It was too much for me. Now that you're back..." His voice trailed off and he shrugged. "Star City is home in a way that Metropolis never will be. But I know that you don't want to leave things unresolved with Lois and Clark." He didn't want to make the decision for her, but Oliver wasn't sure Metropolis was really the place for them.

Chloe nodded. "I love Star City," she said softly. "I'm not sure why, but I feel happier when I'm there." She admitted softly. Metropolis wasn't home anymore, she would always associate the city with what happened to her and Chloe didn't want to spend the rest of her days being anxious or out of sorts. She placed her hand over Oliver's chest.  
  
"I really do want to fix things with Lois though." She had spent the last few days thinking things over and she really wanted to try and preserve the only family ties she had left. "Maybe we can tell her and Clark about the engagement and explain that our home is in Star City, but that she can visit any time?" She asked quietly.

"We can do that," Oliver agreed. He thought that might be a good compromise. It would probably be easier for Chloe and Lois to get their relationship back slowly and there would be a lot less pressure long distance than from worrying about running into each other in Metropolis. For a big city, it seemed ridiculously small. Oliver pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "I'm sure the guys will be thrilled to have us back. Or at least you," he joked.

Chloe grinned, "They only like me better because I let them get away with more than you do," she teased lightly before her expression softened. She cupped his cheek and brushed her thumb over it. "Thank you for being so amazing about all of this and not getting frustrated with me. I know I've kind of hovered lately and I'm sorry about that." She said before pressing a kiss to his lips.

Oliver returned the kiss before pulling back to meet her gaze. "You don't have to apologize for wanting to spend time with me ever," he told her matter-of-factly. "I know things have been rough since you came back, but I'm always going to be here for you." He reached for her left hand and threaded their fingers together, brushing his against her ring. "We make a good team, Sidekick."

Her smile was bright, "We really do." She agreed, "I cannot wait to marry you," she whispered as she leaned in and captured his lips in a slow kiss. She moved her mouth over his deepening the kiss and pressing herself closer to him. When she finally broke the kiss she was slightly out of breath. "I love you," she said as she ran a hand down his chest lightly.

"I love you too," Oliver replied. He brushed his nose against hers and then pressed another kiss to her lips. "What do you say to me putting this work aside and the two of us going out for awhile? It's probably one of the last nice days we're going to have so we should enjoy it." He kissed her again. "Then we can come home and I can show you just how much I love you. Over and over again," he said, punctuating each word with a kiss.

Chloe couldn't help the giggle that fell from her throat. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "That's a lot of over's," she teased lightly, "I'm not sure I can keep up." She joked as she pressed a kiss to his lips. "Going out sounds like a good plan to me."

"I have faith that you'll keep up, Sidekick," Oliver said. He kissed her again, slowly deepening it until air started to become an issue and he was forced to pull back. "We should get out of here so we could get back faster," he teased. Oliver kissed her again and then pulled away, getting to his feet and holding his hand out to Chloe. "Ready?" he asked.

Chloe sent him a warm smile and nodded as she stood and took his hand. "I'm ready," she confirmed as she took his hand and tugged him lightly towards the elevator, a smile on her face.

 

______

 

Oliver raised an eyebrow when he saw Chloe shivering out of the corner of his eye. "What was that you said about the weather being nice, Sidekick?" he asked, even as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her body closer to his. The sun had set about an hour ago and Chloe had insisted that it was the perfect night for a walk and some hot chocolate. But the first few places they'd tried hadn't had any, which Oliver thought was weird, and the temperature had been dropping steadily. But he knew his stubborn fiancée wouldn't be happy until she got what they'd come out for. 

Chloe leaned into him and shivered again. "It’s fine," she said lightly, "Not that cold." She told him even as she moved closer to him. "There has to be someone out here with hot chocolate," she mumbled, "We can't go back to the apartment without it," she said stubbornly pouting as they walked down the street.

"We could just go to the store and buy the ingredients," Oliver pointed out, repeating the same suggestion he'd made earlier. She had stubbornly refused, but it had been warmer then. "Come on, Sidekick, we can just run to the store on the corner and pick up some of that instant stuff. It's practically the same thing," he said.

"Ollie," she whined, "It is not the same. I swear it's around here somewhere," she said as she leaned into him again. "It's so much better one someone else makes it and the whip cream is--omph," Chloe's words were cut off as they nearly ran into a couple in front of them. She glanced up and blinked when she caught sight of Lois and Clark.  
  
"Hey Lois, Clark," she said with a small smile. "How are you?"

"Hey Chloe, Ollie," Lois said as she gave them both a smile. "What are you guys up to?" she asked, noting that her cousin looked a lot more carefree than she had the last few times Lois had seen her. 

"We're searching for hot chocolate because someone insists that it tastes better when someone else makes it," Oliver replied. He squeezed Chloe's shoulder affectionately. "How are you guys doing?" he asked. 

Clark smiled, "We're doing good," he said as he glanced between them happy to see that Chloe looked happy. "We haven't seen you in a while," he said to Oliver, "We thought maybe you guys decided to stay in Star City, but I'm glad you didn't."   
  
Chloe threaded her fingers through Oliver's as she glanced at him briefly. "We spent a few extra days to hang out with some friends." She said wondering briefly if they should tell them.

Oliver squeezed her hand and then brushed his thumb over hers. He could tell that Chloe was nervous, but he thought the news would be better coming from her. "We got back a few days ago, but we've been lying low," he commented.

Lois raised an eyebrow as she looked back and forth between them. "Is everything okay?" she asked. Lois wondered if something had happened in Star City. But Chloe seemed happy or she had until they'd run into each other so maybe it was nothing.

Chloe took a deep breath and smiled. "Actually something did happen," she said before smiling. She glanced at Oliver and when he nodded she looked back at Lois and Clark. "Oliver proposed, we're getting married." She said her face bright with happiness.

Lois's mouth dropped open; she hadn't been expecting that. "Wow, that's great. Congratulations!" She hesitated for a moment and then stepped forward, pulling both of them into a hug. "I'm really happy for you guys," she said sincerely.

Oliver smiled and returned the hug. "Thanks, Lois," he said.

Chloe tensed for a second before relaxing and hugging her cousin back. "Thanks, Lois." she said quietly as she continued hugging her cousin.  
  
Clark stepped forward and shook Oliver's hand. "Congratulations," he said with a smile. "Wow, I can't believe you guys are getting married." he said shaking his head, but he was genuinely happy for them. When Chloe pulled back from Lois he hesitated before moving towards her. "Congratulations," he repeated pausing before giving her a hesitant hug.  
  
Chloe tensed, but she forced herself to calm down and return the hug. "Thank you Clark." She shifted back and gripped Oliver's hand again. "We're really happy about it." She said as she brushed her thumb against his hand.

Lois forced herself not to react to the fact that Chloe had tensed up when she'd hugged her. She reached for Clark's hand, still smiling, as she tried to absorb the news that her baby cousin was getting married. "Have you guys made any wedding plans yet?" she asked.

Oliver shook his head. "Not yet; it's still pretty new to us, but it won't be anything huge," he said. Neither one of them were the type to want a lot of attention, despite what his reputation suggested. Oliver figured they'd do something small with their friends and that would be that. It wasn't the ceremony that mattered.

Chloe nodded in agreement. "Yeah definitely nothing big," she said as she squeezed Oliver's hand lightly while glanced between Lois and Clark. She hesitated a second before pointing, "If you guys aren't heading anywhere you could come with us to grab some hot chocolate," she said, "If you wanted to," she added as she shifted on her feet.

She was still feeling a little uncomfortable, but her anxiety was a lot less than the last two times she'd seen them and Chloe realized it would be really nice if she was able to get things back on track with Lois and Clark in time for the wedding. It was a big step for her and Oliver and she wanted Lois there.

"We can do that," Lois agreed. "We just left work so we weren't really heading anywhere." She'd just wanted to walk for awhile after being cooped up in the office all day. "There's a cafe on seventh that has really good hot chocolate," she suggested.

Oliver squeezed Chloe's shoulder. He was proud of her for making an effort. "Sounds good," he agreed with a smile.

They turned and headed in the direction of the cafe and Chloe glanced at her cousin sideways as she wrapped her arm around Oliver's midsection. "So, what have you guys been up to? Anything new in Metropolis?" she asked as she lifted her hand to brush some hair out of her face.

Lois shook her head. "Same old, same old," she said. "Things have been a little busy at the Planet since it's election season, but other than that, there's not much going on. Certainly nothing as exciting as an engagement," she added.

Chloe smiled, "It is exciting," she agreed, "At least I'm excited," she teased as she glanced at Oliver, "He's going to be stuck with me for the rest of his life, I'm not sure he knows what he's getting into," she joked as she rubbed his arm lightly.

Clark chuckled. "Chloe does have a tendency to get herself in a bit of trouble," he said while wrapping an arm around Lois. "It seems to be a family trait," he gave his girlfriend a pointed look.

"You don't need to tell me that," Oliver said. "Then again, I've gotten into my share of trouble over the years so maybe we're good for each other," he teased as he pressed a kiss to the top of Chloe's head.

"You're very good for me," she said as she hugged him to her. They crossed the street when the cafe came into view and headed for the front door. Chloe figured once they were all sitting down she could tell Lois about her and Oliver deciding to go back to Star City and see if maybe she would be interested in visiting some time. "This place looks familiar," she said not sure why as they approached the door.

Clark held it open and motioned for them to go inside. "It's not far from the Planet so Lois and I come here a lot," he said as he walked inside behind Chloe, Oliver, and Lois.

Oliver smiled at the hostess and requested a table for four. She led them to a quiet corner of the cafe and took their order. As she walked away, Oliver glanced around. "This place does seem nice. It's sort of like that place on Cane Avenue in Star City," he commented to Chloe, thinking that was why it seemed familiar to her.

"Oh yeah," she said a smile pulling at her lips, "It does look a lot like that place," she said before threading her fingers through Oliver's and shifting in her seat. She glanced over at Lois and smiled. "I was going to call you," she said softly. "Oliver and I have been doing some thinking and with things slowing down at Queen Industries, we're probably going to be heading back home soon," she said as she held her cousins gaze, "To Star City." She clarified.

Clark felt Lois stiffen beside him and he rested a hand at the small of her back rubbing it lightly. He knew she was really looking forward to rebuilding her relationship with Chloe and he was too, but if she left that might never happen. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything Chloe continued talking.

"I was hoping maybe you--both of you, could come visit." Her hand tightened on Oliver's and she swallowed hard. "I know I haven't been the greatest company, but now that we're back in each other's lives I'd like us to keep in touch." She said honestly.

"I'd really like that too," Lois said. She tried not to let the sadness show on her face, even though it was depressing that her cousin was finally back in her life and she was going to leave again. But the fact that she wanted to keep in touch and she was offering to let them visit was a good sign, or at least she thought it was. "That means a lot to me that you want us to come visit. I've never been to Star City," she commented.

"We like it," Oliver said as he brushed his thumb over Chloe's. "The weather is a hell of a lot nicer. There's good shopping too in the downtown area and it's nice being close to the beach," he added. Oliver could tell that Lois was doing her best not to look sad, even though she obviously was. He knew this wasn't easy for any of them. 

Chloe caught the look on Lois's face too and her chest tightened as a hint of guilt filled her. "I do, and Oliver is right. Being right by the beach is amazing and Ollie's apartment isn't far, you can actually see it from the penthouse." She commented before hesitating. "I know this is quick...But Star City is my home being in Metropolis," she paused, "It puts me on edge."

She admitted before reaching out with her left hand and placing it hesitantly over Lois's. "I promise I won't disappear. I'll call and you can absolutely visit." She said before sending her a small smile, "Plus Ollie and i might be having a small wedding, but we're still going to need to plan it. I could use some help...If you wanted," she added not wanting Lois to feel pressured.

Lois smiled as warmth filled her chest. "I would love that, Chlo. Thank you," she said as she struggled not to let her emotions get the best of her once again. That wasn't the kind of person she was. "We should start with the dessert tasting. I imagine that's the best part of planning a wedding," she joked.

Chloe laughed softly. "I love dessert," she commented as she moved her hand and threaded it back through Oliver's hand. 

Clark could see how happy Lois was and he squeezed her shoulder lightly glad that Chloe was able to let them in again at least a little bit so that his girlfriend could be a part of her cousin's wedding.

"But it's not actually a meal," Oliver reminded her, arching an eyebrow at Chloe. This was a conversation they'd had too many times to count in the past.

Lois snorted. "Show's how little you know, Queen. Dessert is not only a meal, it's the best kind of meal."

Chloe face brightened. "See Hero?" She said softly, "Lois is right it's the best meal," she told him as she leaned in and pressed a light kiss to his jaw. "We should have our wedding full of just desserts." She teased.

Clark chuckled and shook his head, glad to see that Chloe seemed relaxed with them for once.

"I think by 'best' you mean the least healthy," Oliver replied. But he turned his head and pressed a kiss to her lips. He was glad to see that she was finally relaxing a little.

Chloe returned the kiss keeping it short since they were with Lois and Clark. She tilted her head and brushed her thumb across his chin. "I love you," she said affectionately before reaching forward for the mug of hot chocolate that the waitress had brought over while she was kissing Oliver. She grinned and took a short sip. "Yum," she said satisfied.

Oliver shook his head, amused by her excitement over the hot chocolate. "I love you too," he told her before he shifted his attention to Clark. "How have you been?" he asked. The other man hadn't said much, but Oliver could see that he was happy that Lois and Chloe were doing better.

Clark glanced at Oliver and smiled. "I've been good, busy with things," he said as he shifted in his seat, "But the past few days have been pretty quiet thankfully," he said. "Did you guys have a good time in Star City? How was the fundraiser?"

"It was good," Oliver replied. He leaned back in his seat, draping his arm over Chloe's shoulders. "We raised money for a good cause and no one got drunk and embarrassed themselves so it was a win-win," he joked.

Chloe took another sip of her hot chocolate before pressing a hand against his chest and rolling her eyes. "It's been a long time since you've gotten drunk," she said before glancing at Lois and Clark. "He likes to pick on me because of the  _one_  time I got drunk at an event," she said a hint of humor in her eyes as she glanced back at Oliver.

"Drunk is much too tame of a word for what you were that night," Oliver replied with a smirk. "She got up onstage and sang in the middle of the speeches because she was bored," he recalled.

Chloe flushed as she glanced at Lois, "In my defense all the speakers were like a hundred and they were really boring...I sounded wonderful though," she said her voice trailing off as she bit her lower lip.

Clark let out a laugh and shook his head. "Every once in a while Lois will do karaoke," he said nudging his girlfriend, "But that's usually in a place where you're supposed to do it." He commented.

Chloe grinned, "Lois and I used to sing karaoke together sometimes," she said with a warm smile at the memory.

"I'm pretty sure I was speaking when you interrupted, so thanks for that," Oliver said as he reached for his hot chocolate and took a sip. "You did sound good though, especially when you called me names when I had to carry you to the car. Good times," he mused.

Lois laughed. "I miss our karaoke days, cuz. That was always fun." She smiled at the memory. It was so good to have Chloe back.

Chloe pouted and pointed to cousin. "At least Lois appreciates my singing. And honestly Ollie it's not my fault you were boring," she teased before pressing a kiss to his cheek. "That was a unique night for us," she said lightly before looking back at her cousin. "It might have been the first time Oliver saw me really,  _really_  drunk."

"That was a night of many firsts," Oliver commented. Some of them were a lot less pleasant, like when she'd thrown up in the car on the ride home and again in the elevator. "You also pushed me into the shower, fully dressed, when I was trying to warm the water up for you," he pointed out and Lois snorted.

Chloe sent him an innocent look. “I apologized for that and I didn’t mean to push you,” she said trying to hide the amusement in her eyes as she looked away from him, “It was an accident,” even thought she distinctly remembered saying she wondered what he looked like sopping wet in a suit.

She glanced between Lois and Clark, “Don’t let him pollute you with stories of the things I did while I was drunk. It was one time and I let him pick our Friday night movies for close to two months after that,” She explained casually.

"That was a good few months," Oliver recalled wistfully. He smiled at Chloe and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "She's right; Chloe doesn't lose control very often. The same can't be said for me, of course, but it has been awhile since I landed on a front page that wasn't actually planted," he joked.

Clark chuckled, “Yeah, I barely see anything about you in the paper anymore,” he commented lightly as he sipped his water.

Chloe grinned, “That’s because my fiancé doesn’t need to go out and party he has me,” she teased as she rested a hand on his thigh. Chloe was surprised by how well things were going with their impromptu get together and it made her chest warm. Maybe things would be alright after all, she thought as she lifted her hot chocolate to her lips with her free hand and took a sip.

"Yeah, Chloe brings plenty of excitement into my life," Oliver said dryly. But he winked at her and then pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I love you," he whispered. Oliver could tell that Chloe was enjoying herself and he was really glad. He had a feeling things would get easier and easier the more time she and Lois spent together. 

 

______

 

Chloe tossed her purse on the chair and turned to face Oliver a warm smile on her face as she shivered slightly. It had gotten colder on their way back from the cafe and she couldn’t seem to keep the slight chill from her body. She turned around to face Oliver as he finished up a phone call and she couldn’t help thinking that their night out had actually been really fun.

Things with Lois and Clark weren’t as tense and she had made plans to get together with her cousin again before she and Oliver left to head back to Star City. All in all letting them know she was alive again was working out better than she had expected it to.

Chloe shifted forward and rand her hand down Oliver’s chest before tucking her cool hands beneath his shirt and pressing a light kiss playfully to his jaw as he spoke to whoever was on the other line.

Oliver raised an eyebrow at her as she pressed her cold hands against his stomach. "Vic, can we talk about this later? Just tell Bart to go to Mexico for awhile and send AC for a swim. They're usually fine after they've been separated for awhile. I need to go," he said, not giving his friend a chance to finish before he disconnected the call and turned his full attention to Chloe. "Are you enjoying yourself there, Sidekick?" he asked.

Chloe grinned and nodded, “Mm, I am,” she said as she slid her hands higher before trailing them back down his abdomen. “I’m cold,” she told him softly, “I think maybe you should help warm me up.” She said matter-of-factly as she trailed her lips across his jaw.

Oliver pretended to consider it as he wrapped his arms around her, sliding his hand under her shirt to caress her lower back. "I suppose I could do that. Maybe what you need is to get out of those clothes," he suggested, closing his eyes as her lips continued to trail over his jaw.

Chloe chuckled lightly against his skin. “I’m not sure how’s that’s going to make me warmer,” she said her tone playful, “Maybe you should show me.” She said as she lifted her head and gripped the back of his neck lightly before capturing his lips in a kiss.

Oliver returned the kiss. He slid one hand into her hair, tilting her head back as he deepened the kiss, his tongue moving possessively against hers. "I could definitely show you," he said when the kiss broke. Oliver pulled her with him as he moved backward toward the stairs. "I figure if we both take our clothes off, we can share body heat and we'll me much, much warmer."

Chloe grinned. “I’m liking the sound of this plan,” she said softly before pausing on the stairs. “Hey Ollie,” she said softly waiting for him to turn and look at her. When he did the look on his face was curious. She stepped up and cupped his cheek. “Thank you,” she said softly, “For saving me all those years ago, for being here...and for loving me. You have no idea how happy I am. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.” She said as she pressed a light kiss to his lips.

Oliver smiled against her lips, even as he kissed her back. He broke it a moment later and rested his forehead against hers. "You don't have to thank me, Chloe. I hate what you went through, but I'll always be grateful that you came into my life. I love you so much. That's never going to change," he promised.

Chloe’s expression softened. “I love you too, Hero. So much,” she told him with a smile, “Now come on I think I remember you saying something about a lack of clothes and body heat,” she teased as she moved passed him and tugged him up the stairs, happiness settling in her chest.


End file.
